Resident Evil: Illumination
by Actionsparda
Summary: People rarely see what is right in front of their eyes... (Set after RE6, featuring influences from Revelations 2.)
1. 0-0: The Revelation

****UPDATED: I have heard your questions, you have spoken (typen?) and I have listened (read)! This is the updated version of the intro to Chapter 0. Like all those to follow, the first of each chapter will be of the main name/theme for all the parts to follow. Every decimal point chapter in between will all be a part of the main one. Please note that the intro generally does not have so much to do with the current chapter as it does setting the mood or past circumstances from the past one. In this case however, since there is no chapter before this one, this will set the stage and depict all the trauma that surrounds this story... even if it doesn't seem like the following does at the time. So keep reading after this to see how it all threads together into Leon and Ashley's story!****

Sirens pierce the air on a misty rainy night. Red and blue lights flash around a set of apartments. Police men surround the premises, unarmed at the moment, but not at ease in the slightest.

A screeching car can be heard in the background. After the door opens and closes, a hulk of a man in green army-like attire trots great with authority. A cop turns around to stop him, but he flashes an I.D. at the man. The officer is suddenly embarrassed and salutes the man with a combination of respect and fear evident in his face.

This badass walking pace continues partway up the stairs outside to the second floor of rooms, but is quickly evoked and goes running at breakneck as the breaking of glass and the sounds of a woman sobbing pierces the night.

The man is suddenly knocking vigorously at the door with arms that suggest he could push boulders with them, let alone break down a door.

"Claire!" The man yells panicked. "Claire, open the goddamn door!"

Inside on a couch near a broken lamp, a panicked redhead sprints up with athleticism and grabs a gun. She reaches over her arm and goes for a knife, knocking over a bottle of whiskey in the process.

"GO! AWAY!" She yells back. "I'm not coming out, and you have NO right to enter here!"

"Claire, don't make me break this door down!"

"Ha!" The girl slurs "maybe a few years ago you could!"

The man bites his tongue. She was definitely drunk, and for a girl like his sister, that meant a TON of alcohol, much more than anyone else. The fear of poisoning crept into the back of his mind.

"Awe, what's wrong Chris!" The female taunts. "Too old to play mommy and daddy anymore, big brother?" She backed away into the bathroom, holding her pistol and blade firm, a special insignia on its' hilt of both.

She quickly falls backwards and lands in the water, hitting her head on the spout.

"CLAIRE!" The man yells. A team of policemen stand near him ready to breach. The man, Chris, holds his arm out to stop one with a battering ram, but nods meekly.

Softly, this Claire reaches behind her head and feels the blood in her hair...

She breaks into giggles...

...and slowly begins laughing like a mad woman...

Chris counts down to three with his fingers and kicks at the door. Swearing the first attempt, he has the threshold down in two more tries.

Chris motions for the team at the door to stay back. Arms drawn in all directions, they slowly begin to hear maniac laughter turn to sobs.

Softly, the gentle giant nears the next door to the bathroom, locked on the other side now.

"Claire..." He pleads softly "please...just come on out."

"WHY SHOULD I!?" The shriek startles the guards.

"I've lost everything! My job, life's work, my colleagues, my... OUR PARENT'S! Chris, I've practically lost you too!" Now Chris was getting emotional, although he wouldn't dare show it to anyone else but Claire.

"Where the &amp; $% were YOU when I was driving around for MONTHS looking for you!? You left... when everything around me began to die!"

The memories burned through Claire's mind like a virus, firing up her brain.

"What did it take Chris? A city of zombies? Leaving the country!? Breaking and entering? Locked up on a deserted island!? Starving!? MOLESTATION!? LOOSING..."

On the other end, a familiar noise rings in Chris' ear... the sound of a gun cocking. It wasn't his own life he was afraid of though...

"...and when you finally came back to me... suddenly you were off again with little-more information than last time! Do you know why I joined Terra-save Chris? Why I REALLY joined? DO YOU!?"

...No, this life was far more precious to him.

"I did it to be closer to you..." Claire sobbed, the feeling of a barrel against the side of her head... by her own hand. "...and LO AND BEHOLD, look what happened? Look what HAD to happen before I got to see my big brother, the ONLY remaining family I had left. Trapped with the undead... in a freaking airport this time! Locked in another laboratory! With ANOTHER big-eyed monster! Oh, but this time it got even better Chris! I was seduced by a $#ing terrorist Chris. Ohohoh! But catching him the act and being swooned by him wasn't enough, was it? WAS IT!?"

Chris lowers his head solemnly against the door...

"oh nononoooo!" Claire mocked, rolling around in her bathtub, unable to get up and accidentally turning the water on. "I had to get abducted in ANOTHER fancy building... MINE THIS TIME... get locked up in ANOTHER DESERTED ISLAND... seeing the pattern here Chris? Surrounded by more infected... oh, but that wasn't bad enough for you yet was it big brother!? THIS TIME I HAD TO LOOSE VIRTUALLY EVERYONE LEFT IN MY LIFE THAT I LOVED TO IT! FRIENDS! COLLEAGUES! PRACTICALLY OUR FAMMILY CHRIS! BARRY FUCKING BURTON'S... YOUR OLD PARTNER'S DAUGHTER IS BURRIED OUT THEIR IN THAT GODFORSAKEN DEATHTRAP! AND THE MONSTER THIS TIME? OH, IT WASN'T JUST ANOTHER WESKER. NOT JUST ANOTHER CRAZY BITCH THAT WANTED TO BE ALL-POWERFUL. No, this monster was one before any virus got to him... AND I LOVED HIM CHRIS! He was going to be MY EVERYTHING. YOU, LEON, him..."

Claire's voice cracked.

"But he betrayed my Chris. I loved him and he left me to die. JUST. ***BANG*** LIKE. ***BANG*** YOU!"

Chris was holding the cops back behind him in form at the door, trying to convince them to let him handle this, even after shots were fired! ...only for the first time in his life, he wasn't sure if he could.

Claire began to chuckle again... "And now that I've been LITERALLY washed up from the water and back home, ready to just end it all... NOW YOU COME CHARGING IN ON A HUMMER PUNCHING BOULDERS TO SAVE ME!?

WE"LL I AIN'T BUYING! IT NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN THAT THIS TIME! SO WHAT THE % $# IS IT THIS TIME CHRISTOPHER REDFIELD!"

Chris slowly opened the next door, his hands up, to be with his sister. The door he managed to unlock with a few tips from a close friend. The officers and medical staff right behind, guns ready, as they approached the barricaded bathroom door. The final obstacle appears to be a shower door, but it has two bullet marks in it. Ever paranoid after their fiasco's with Umbrella, this must be some sort of a panic door.

"well..." Claire asked inconsequentially behind the shower curtain. "What is it?" she waited, but no answer came.

"Is it Barry? Washed up in guilt about how I feel and his daughter? Jill? IS she even well yet after HER disappearance that you SO SUDDENLY WENT RUNNING AFTER! What about Leon? Closest thing to a friend I have left. Closest thing I'll ever have to someone special in my life. If it weren't for that... oh..."

Claire's laugh was now far more frightening to Chris than any horror he'd ever faced before.

"AHAHAHHA! I GET IT! I FINALLY % $#ING GET IT! This WHOOOOOOLE thing... it's about nothing other than THE BITCH IN THE RED DRESS isn't it Christopher!?"

The memories now burned in Chris's mind.

"Yeah, Chris; I know. I KNOW EVERYTHING! Ehe... I finally figured it out. **YOU** LOST ALL **YOUR** MEN AND NOW YOU WANT HELP FROM **ME **JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW I'VE SEEN THE BROAD! IT HURTS, DOESN'T it. I KNOW! SO, that's it, right Crissy? Come ON! TELL ME TELL ME! I'm **DYING **TO KNOW! I'm all EARS like the monster was all EYES! Well, say it. I CAN TAKE IT! **MY BROTHER PUT ME THROUGH WORSE!**

So come on..."

silence

"Come on..." his sister whispers softly at first.

More silence

"COME ON!" She challenges her older brother with authority, all the demeanor of a life with nothing left to loose...

"**COME OOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"** a banshee death scream like nails on a chalkboard emulated from Claire's voice, causing Chris to grit his teeth to the side and a single teardrop to fall from his cheek.

She holds the firearm against the side of her face, short cut red locks of hair flowing against it in the shadows as the outline of a face and teardrops run against her skin.

In her other hand now rest a bottle of booze connected to her lips.

"Give me a reason to live..."

With a few deep breaths, Claire begins to chug and goes to pull the trigger, a bottle against her lips and a barrel against her head...

It was now or never for Chris. His one last Ace in the Hole to keep Claire in this world when even Leon's friendship wasn't enough.

"...We found him..."

Clare's eyes go wide and she drops the glass agains the side of the tub, fragments going in all directions against her now... no pants... eliciting cuts but leaving the woman unfazed in the slightest, not by simply through the alcohol or through a tough-as nails, but something different now.

Something lost from her past.

"Wh-what...?" Claire holds herself against her black top, her jean jacket against the toilet.

"We found him." Chris repeats in confidence. "Just please drop the gun and we can talk about it."

Thoughts and voices flood the depressed mind of Claire Redfield.

"Your night in shining... It's more reliable than any... He may even be able to be revived... I ... I'm glad I met you... I... I love you... Claire..."

An ear-shattering scream drowns out the multiple shots of her brother's old Samurai Edge. A burst of three shots hit the ceiling as Claire drops her brother's gun in the water and flails around hysteric, ripping her top off and leaving her in nothing but a black bra and underwear.

A burst of adrenaline fills "big brother's" biceps and with his shoulder crashing down into the door. He breaks the lock somehow, whether by luck, fate or a miracle, and slides it aside.

He beholds his sister, Claire... Once a proud strong Redfield able to survive anything, but after all of this wear and tear a shell of her former self, makeup running down her damp body into the lukewarm and slightly red water below.

"Ch-Chris?"

"It's ok Claire... We found him."

Slowly Chris lowers himself towards her and she wraps her arms around him, the closest thing to a father she has had most of her life.

"It's alright now Claire... It's okay...

...we found him.

We found Steve."


	2. 0-1: The Nightmare

**2004**

A woodland city street comes into view from the autumn haze of blur colors from the distance. The sidewalks cobblestone sidewalks extend from a large building. Flags and logo's suggest this to be a university.

Through the glass panels on the wooden doors, girls can be seen chatting as they make their way out into the quad. Two arms reach from out of view to open the two doors. As the first girls exit, one of the suited men whispers into his sleeve "Roger, subject is leaving the building now."First, a red-head emerges with short curly hair in plead, next a burnet in a hoodie catches up and motions for someone else.

Last, out walks a short blond in a skirt, furry orange top and boots. Her short blond hair seems to bounce with her breasts as she laughs and breathes slowly. Catching her breath, she lifts her purse over her shoulder and looks up.

In a high-pitched perky voice, she motions for the men in suits to go ahead, but the secret service ask them to stay together. "Guys, were ok on our own going back to the house. It's only two blocks away." the blonde insists.

"No can do Ashley... Err... Ma'am. You're all high priority targets now since the recent threat, and we can't have you all wandering off, we need to stick together." said the buff serviceman. The burnet stares magically at him, obviously turned on.

The girls talk about the news and election briefly, but soon as the talk along the sidewalk about everything form work shifts to cute boys and singers and what they'll be wearing at the dance. The girls wave goodbye to Ashley as they move along. Ashley and her guards prepare to walk down the turn toward her dorm, the first walking on ahead per protocol like every other day, when a car explodes further out.

Ashley stands there in disbelief as she is shielded by her second handler, before he holds her back with his hand. "Stay here." He motions for the other to hurry back while he investigates...

In the confusion, Ashley is now completely vulnerable in this brief window of opportunity.

A swift wind is heard as the view from the distance moves in towards Ashley like a man running, Ashley seems to be moving in slow motion as she turns around. A reflection of the sunlight on a familiar looking blade appears in the white muscular hands from behind the camera. Ashley turns as the man appears right in front of her and begins to scream.

Everything goes black and time begins to stand completely still, as the noise around her becomes muffled like her now blurred sight.

A secret service man calls "Ashley!" as the sound of dodging and pistol fire turns to a mutation sound followed by an impairing noise and the coughing of blood , as well as the soon to be familiar smell of death.

**Resident Evil: Illumination**

Ashley's head rises up from a blue pillow in a pink nightgown screaming, lightning shining through the side window to the sound of loud thunder and the sheets of rain pouring outside.

She managed to calm down and curls up into a ball with her legs out in front if her, sobbing.

She had the nightmare again.

Frustrated with herself, she rolls her eyes before falling backwards back into her bed exhausted.

**Late January, 2014**

Ashley yawned some hours later and hits the alarm clock with her hand. A house keeper opens the blinds. "Time to wake up Ms. Graham, it's the big day." Before leaving, she checks to confirm that she is indeed up and about.

Ashley slips out of her clothes and walks over in her feet to bathroom, She begins to run the water and goes into the steamy shower. A small television in the other room was on. She could hear from the loud volume talk about the inaugural ball and the vice-president officially coming into his first official term in office as Commandeer in Chief... after the events of Tall Oaks.

Popular subjects of the elections were the economy, job growth, and bio warfare. At this point, a dark hand reaches out towards the TV and turns the volume down on the television Ashley did no remember having turned on in the first place.

It went on to mention years ago today about the president's daughter Ashley Graham being kidnapped walking home after class at her college in Massachusetts with two senators' daughters and the secret service, leaving one guard dead, impaled through the waist, and another mortally wounded with a knife wound to the throat.

Since then, security has been an even bigger issue, and as Ms. Graham continues to support self-defense classes for young women. Even before president Benford's family took office there was still the eluding feel of another plot related to BOW's, having received similar threats to the FBI of those just before the kidnapping almost a decade ago.

To avoid such an incident repeating, now that the new president (Adam Benford's vice-president and successor) was about to enter his first official term as Potus, rather than the traditional Inaugural Ball, there was simply going to be a small gathering at Camp David under tight security, letting a few groups into the sanctuary for the first time in an attempt to keep the first family safe.

Ashley had just shut the water off and reached out for a towel. But then she heard something... Or someone.

"Who's there?"

Slowly she moves the glass door of the shower and screams, backing up for and reaching for a tub scrubber, but quickly covers up with the towel as she responds to another woman screaming.

Agent Hunnigan is sitting in the room, guarding her as usual of late per the agency's request.

"You never did get use to this before, did you?", Hunnigan asked sarcastically.

"One more day, Ingrid; then I get to cut you loose." Ashely replies. They smile meekly at each other.

Ashley had been staying under Agent Ingrid Hunnigan's protection since her arrival to the area for the vice-presidents official inauguration celebration under personal security requests. After the threats were made on the traditional building the party was to be held at, in addition to moving the location by recommendation to Camp David, all of the more high profile guests were required to stay with an agent.

Ashley had made a request for a particular agent, but when he was found unavailable se decided that as would instead rather stay alone. However, she found out the very agent that was unavailable had instead recommended a personal friend of his to stay with her so Ashley would not feel so awkward being with a secret service security guard after so many years not being the presidents daughter.

After all, it was now officially 2014 now and Ashley was 29 years old, going on "the big 30" as her friends called it this upcoming month. She had changed a lot upon graduation and had done her best since her kidnapping. Today, she had now become a strong independent woman.

That morning she arrived at a female self-defense class, talking to the group as a guest speaker before showing a move or two in demonstration. It seems to do a number on the buff target.

She then met up with a few friends for coffee outside of a café, secret service still around, albiet more subtly hidden in the background. She talks about how she missed some of these brave men and women looking back... especially Joey and D.J., who gave their lives trying to save her.

Ashley at one point thinks she sees something in the distance, but realizes its' just her nerves still acting up since her bad dreams had started back up recently, and now seem to occur all of the time. Saddened a little, her friends try and eventually do manage to cheer her up as they all continue to gossip and chat.

Finally, she is applying eyeliner and looking into the mirror as she admires her gold colored shiny dress and steps out to get her ride for the party.

**Author's Note: Hey guys. A big major thanks to those who've come back for round 2. I WILL BE ADDING TO THIS AT LEAAT ONCE A WEEK. Maybe more than once; i know these segments are short, but I want to make sure they are perfect and I do not have a lot of time in my busy schedule to do so. Anyway, i hope you enjoy. If you do, PLEASE LIKE/subscribe.**


	3. 0-2: The Party

Ashley and Ingrid arrived at the secluded Camp David for a sort of send-off party held by the remnants of the old first family and the new vice-president, their close supporters gathered. Thus, this was the secret service's last time with the family, Ashley could be seen searching for none other than her close guard and friend, Leon S. Kennedy.

It had been nearly 10 years since Ashley had really gotten to spend any quality time with her friend and secret crush. She realized that if she didn't see him now... she may never see him again.

His special invite per request of the president's party, most likely based on his close relations to Adam Benford and his service, meant there would be really no reason for him to show up much in her life anymore.

She had to know whether or not Leon was just being polite in his messages and her questions, or if he was truly a friend... as well as whether or not they could ever possibly be more than fiends.

As she looks around, Ashley's nerves are still getting the best of her. She barely notices Ingrid leaving to talk to some other people. The girl was lost in thought and failed to notice someone come by... and runs into a beautifully dressed young woman.

Her dress was as red as her hair

"Ouch! Oh, Gosh," Ashley pleads, "I'm so sorry."

When she apologizes, she quickly recognizes her... as the person from the Terra Save articles she had read about. She was relevant in that involving Leon and an outbreak at an airport. What was her name...? Ah!

It was Claire Redfield!

Leon had mentioned Claire before during their online conversations. While he didn't like to talk at all about why happened to her so many years ago, Leon really did have a small appreciation for Ashley's curiosity in the matters of national. This was a form of curiosity not just about her crush Leon, but the world as a whole.

Ashley new she could never be as strong as Leon no matter how hard she tried. Or as smart...or as quick...or truly as knowledgable as to guns or herbs essential for survival. So, during her period of hard workouts after she decided to become a changed woman, not just to empress Leon, she had begun research on the past known facts and incidents of the viral outbreak.

Claire looked down in her red dress and clear heels rater surprised, almost like she had seen a ghost at the party, but quickly dismissed in and smiled walking over to her.

"Ashley Graham?" Claire asked matter-of-factly.

Ashley noded enthusiastically. "Yep. Claire Redfield, right?" It has to be her. Grant it, her hair seemed shorter than what she had imagine based on Leon's description, but the ponytail and dark red hair... how beautiful the tramp...err... Girl was...It had to be her.

Clare simply nodded.

"Hi It's so great to finally meet you." Ashley continued, rather dryly, but politely. "Leon's told me SO much about you!"

"Oh?" Claire said as politely as she could. She had lost most of her conversation skills long ago, but she missed the carefree girl talks she use to have with friends... Back in a simpler time.

Leon had told Ashley about that night back in '98 where he met a corpse lying on the road in front of his Jeep... that eventually attacked him while still being dead. Rushing away, he had his gun drawn ready for anything and prepared to fire, and this was meant to only be his first day on the job as a police officer!

...

In an alley, a door burst open and he turned to it with his gun ready to see a frightened young woman in his sights... and a zombie behind her with Clare in it's "sights."

"Wait! Don't shoot!"

"Get down!"

...

Leon shot the zombie tight between the eyes, and Claire went white in shock as he reached down for her hand. Much like Ashley, Claire and even Leon had been dragged into this nightmare without any warning whatsoever.

Yet, here they are alive today...

Ashley had to admit, she was a tad envious of her looks and connection to Leon, but that wasn't going to get her down in the dumps tonight! So, she spoke with the Redfield girl and they began to talk about Leon and their lives.

Apparently Claire's name has come up fairly often with Leon when Ashley got him to spill the beans on her, to Claire's surprise and slight embarrassment. Of course, Ashley only has a few social media messages to base this all on. She asks why Claire hasn't been in touch with him for so long.

"Why?" Claire asked back. "What's Leon said?

"Nothing really specific." Ashley replied truthfully. "He just seems worried about you."

Claire blushed a tad.

"...since after...oh gosh! I'm so sorry!" Ashley pleaded.

Claire blushed sincerely, the stress on her face still apparent, but smiling.

"It's alright." Claire insisted. "Water under the bridge now."

Ashley was starting to feel a little jealous at the memory of someone else that Leon seemed wrapped about, especially since she had only seen her ever so briefly on the island, but tried her best to dismiss it.

She goes to continue their "friendly" conversation...

...when Ashley is suddenly led away by family friends. Being distracted, Ashley does not see what has happened to Clare. She assumes that she too is apparently searching for her longtime friend Leon within the estate.

Based on their short conversation, it seemed based on an impending matter that was rather urgent. An action to be taken... Of perhaps one that had already begun. Unfinished business? It all seemed like speculation at this point on her part. Realizing that she had been being more paranoid lately than usual, Ashley chose to just brush it off and continues her search for her long lost friend Leon.

**author's note: Hello again rveryone. Thank you so much for reading the next part in my first real vhapter story. I appologize for any typos; things at school have bern hectic. As always, feel free to leave a coment. :)**


	4. 0-3: The Reunion

Finally, after sitting outside with some others in the patio, she looks up to see Leon, shaking hands with a passerby, congratulating him on all he has done in service for the country and world. He is completely decked out with a black suit jacket.

"Leon!" She calls out. Leon is alarmed at first, but calms down when he sees Ashley is fine. That squeal even now seems to trigger memories of fear. He relaxes and looks out to see her running in high-heel shoes to him. "Ashley." They embrace. "I was worried I wouldn't get to see you, after everything that's happened." Ashley panted from sprinting, giving Leon a slight chuckle.

Leon and Ashley continued to talk about the recent past, for with their different roles in government they had not been able to see each other for so long. Ashley missed having him around when she did as the presidents daughter having Leon for her protection. Leon said he'd always look out for her whenever he could. If something happened to her, he would be there in a heartbeat. It was a lot to say to someone, and even if he didn't actually "love" her, she got the feeling that he at least cared enough about her as a friend. Ashley hoped so at least anyway that it all wasn't about the job that had kept them close together, albeit figuratively, this while time years later.

He joked about not getting paid for it now, and she laughed so hard she cried a little. Leon volunteered to get her a tissue. Ashley went back and forth in her mind about making a move. Finally, she decided to be brave after everything she had been through and do it when he came back.

"Yeah, I've been super busy, but it's really good to see you." Leon continued when he returned.

"You too, Leon." She smiled and went to kiss his cheek when the man on the communicator came on.

"Saved by the bell." Ashley thought, being upset, as her male idol had to bid her farewell so quickly and abruptly ending their heartfelt conversation.

Did he not care? Was hd trying to avoid her? Was Ashley just a responsibility, or even a pain in the ass to Leon?

Or was Leon just being an ass?

Ashley calmed herself, realising the importance and sacrifice of his line of work. It's quite possible that upon seeing so much death and not having barely any free time that Leon tried not to get involved too much with people.

Later on, she finally found Leon again... As well as Claire... the tramp!

Acting all weird about how Ashley behaved yet being the exact same way about Leon, despite how sincere it appeared to look.

She could just barely make out the start of heir conversation:

"Well, did you... Find out where?" Claire asked, a bit scared to hear the answer but desperately emotional to know at the same time.

"...I'm sorry Claire..." Leon said briefly at first, almost emotionless as he looked down, like he was trying to be... and Claire seemed to fall for it hook line and sinker as she gasped out a little bit, beginning to bite her bottom lip and tremble in pre-sobs as Leon continued, looking her in the eyes now.

"...but I hope you like Europe."

"Ahh!"

A few people turned and half expected to see Ashley squealing, but the source was coming from Claire as she embraced Leon in an almost painful-looking hug Leon struggling to smile and breathe at the same time. Ashley saw Claire playfully smack his arm, accidentally hurting him. "Don't you scare me like that!?"

Ashley had no idea what was going on, but somehow she got the feeling that whatever this was, Leon had never been that close to her in their conversations.

...Oh well, at least she tried...

Ashley walked back in the main hall afterwards through the screen door of the balcony that looked down onto the pool sulking a little, where the party seems to be going strong. She looks around for Claire an Leon again a little bit later on, but the blonde bombshell didn't see her anywhere.

Who she did find, however was one of the last people that Ashley "knew", but had never expected to see.

While looking and talking with family, friends and contributors, she sees a familiar looking burnet with short hair and a pink dress.

"It's her!" Ashley thought to herself!

Now, Leon would never answer Ashley as to who this Asian woman was that had appeared with him toward the end of their long ordeal.

Not wanting to get Leon's hopes up at first, she decided not to bring it up to him initially and continued with the party.

I mean, why would "she" be here of all places? Maybe she was mistaken... No. The woman's image standing on a platform will stay with her forever, like the rest of the trauma she experienced in her kidnapping.

The woman had stood high above her that day on the same level as Leon. Ashley patiently waited for Leon by their tunnel for his safe return, as always hoping for the best but fearing he worst. This was stained into her brain trough all the drama in the event.

For some reason, she also seemed to have a memory... More of a dream... That this woman had helped to save her from Saddler's hold directly, giving her time to escape with Leon.

She almost felt like a little something that remained from that horrific land still was nestled inside her, an not just in her memories either. She couldn't forget, no matter how much she trained or tried.

She seemed like the spy type that had connections from what Ashley remembered seeing her as being like stereotypically. One thing was certain though: she was not suppose to be hear. Claire at least made some sense being there with all she did as one of the surviving members of Terra-Save, but some stranger? Either she was dating someone with connections...

or...

"I have to go tell Leon!"


	5. 0-4: The Calm

**Hey everyone still waiting on an update.**

**Sorry it took so long; life's been busy.**

**To compensate, this one is a little bit bigger than the others, but it's a big transition, and the action is about to get started!**

It was a beautiful evening, but there was a thunderstorm in the distance, close enough to hear the bolts, even with the music and television on very loud and the constant talking of friends and family. The secret service had a security camera terminal and cameras that surrounded the area. Most of the guards were inside the lobby or at the party, thinking that if anything a drunken relative or two might get out of hand. No one could see anyone looking for something from any member of the staff or their friends and family, let alone even the new president now celebrating his first official term in office with no previous issues whatsoever.

They were wrong.

The guards in the watchtowers surrounding the property could be heard checking in with each other at the main facility in the security building and camera room on a nearby section of the grounds. This took place every thirty minutes or so. The rustling nightlife in the woods was a common thing, something that everyone was accustomed to, just like the check in they did with each other. It was like clockwork; a well oiled machine made up of the people and their environment that just kept going and going on and on. All was standard routine procedure that hadn't really changed in several years, common knowledge to any trained soldier guard...

Or an ex...

K1 through K12 all checked in with the random leader for that night, the guard in tower nine. Even during the summer weather it got cold enough for one to see his breath in the area they were. The watchman in K9 did check in, as all the others. He heard a fairly constant rustling that evening, but one in particular had caught his ear. Still, he just assumed things like that ran throughout all the woods and that the other towers could see it all too.

Unfortunately for all of them he was wrong. Silence is deadly.

Tower 12 reported to as some rustling in the trees occurred. A light bird like landing on the roof of the guard tower followed that as the final report was put in. He called into the control room. "This is tower leader, area is secure, ovAAK."

The agent in the monitor room heard weird noise over the end of the transmutation, but it just seemed like he probably let of to early on the walkie-talkie. The man in the monitor room continued with his sandwich. He knew he shouldn't, but he could hear the noises of eating sloppily from tower nines transmutation.

In the moonlight, one could see a rope-like structure attached to the roof of the towers, and each one seemed to contain a human shape leaning down and feasting on something, like they couldn't get enough.

Soon, more loud thunderous sounds could be heard in the distance, like things falling from the sky. They continued moderately throughout the party, assumed to be more thunder booms. One even seemed to make the ground shake a little.

Huge lines of movement would be seen in the bushes by the guards in the tower... if they were still alive. Forms hunched over and tripping, but moving quickly. However, all of the guards seemed hunched over in their towers eating. Whatever it was they were eating must have been huge. Then one could see a hand dropped over the side of one of the towers. The other could be traced back into the tower, where it gripped the walkie-talkie firmly on the ground. This hand could not be followed back, as it was not connected to the body it belonged to.

...

"Hu, this is some storm." A guest said at the last of the booms were heard." Leon had found Ashley, and they were talking nearby as the man asked for the tv to be switched from the new vice-president's presidential inauguration coverage back in DC to the weather channel. When he was refused, he checked his phone to look at his weather app, only to find that the storm had already moved through a while ago... Before he suddenly lost a connection.

...

Meanwhile outside, blue pumps could be seen hooked to the AC outside next to some kind of jamming device where some older ones once lay. The construction services there had their own measure if security and over watch, so the SS didn't bother asking about it much or thinking it a threat.

Also, a man had walked outside for a smoke when he saw a big figure (probably service due to his muscular body type) hunched over by the vehicles used to take the people to and from the airstrip where Air Force One and the other passenger planes had landed. As it turns out there was a special runway made nearby and refurbished just for passengers to the event from other airplanes.

The man notices a dark hulking figure in the near distance, almost more buff than the other guy was.

He seemed to be looking for something as he coughed."Hey buddy, looking for a light?" the man said. The dark figure got up slowly and turned around, blood spewing from its mouth as if it were a zombie!

However, it responded "If you insist."

Ashley went searching for Leon when he didn't come bak right away with that tissue, and thy chatted some more about what their future had in store for them. Leon said he planned to stick with security and, speaking of which, thought he'd go upstairs to check on the group. Ashley was kind of sad to see him go again, but just took the tissue he gave her and walked away, feeling a bit blown off. She thought he might have really been looking for Claire and began her search.

She found the Asian from earlier. Curiously, she went to get a better view and couldn't believe her eyes as the flashback of a woman on the island he was trapped on so many years ago flashed in her head, matching the woman she was seeing now. There was no question about it any more: she was there at the island and she was here right now!

She couldn't believe it and doubted Leon would even take her seriously that she saw the woman Leon had talked to her about on and off the island (by her request only, never brought up by Leon himself), like he did about Claire, only much less and seeming to dodge the subject whenever possible. Ashley struggled to remember the name she had heard before as she moved to a better vantage point.

Now she was certain this time she saw Ada Wong from her rescue four years ago talking now with...Claire!? She rushed for Leon and searched again for the stairs he went up. It turns out there were many flights and floors. Three levels with three basement levels accessed by a freight elevator near where she saw Ada.

Ashley caught up to Leon, all out of breath.

As she did this, the man with the cigarette could be seen against a red blinking device on one of the cars.

Leon asked what was wrong but all he could make out was "Just now, and...earlier..."

...

The bloody figure looked out into the rustling woods as the camera rose up to his face, showing pliers attached to a cable with a lock on the ground next to empty gas cans.

...

"Earlier what? What's wrong Ashley?" Leon replied.

...

Back outside, the face of a familiar looking soldier was lit by the dead man's lighter, igniting his cigarette.

Despite the storm being nowhere close, the car was wet.

He said: "Let the end..."

...

as Ashley said to Leon "I saw..."

...

"...begin." as he tossed the cigarette to the Jeep behind him

The cigarette butt flew slowly, glowing and smoking as the man moved at a seemingly abnormal pace.

...

"Ada!" Ashley said.

"Ada!?" Leon replied.

"Uh Hu, and..."

...

The cigarette hit the vehicle and ignited it in flames as Ashley began to move her lips to finish her sentence...

Several explosions began as the muscular man fiddled with the pliers on the power-box. At this, the people back in the party turn toward outside and the secret service ran to check, some staying behind to protect the guests, calling to the control room through their sleeves.

There was no reply.

**Dedicated to Mazzie May...**

**...wherever you are...**

**(dramatically looks off into space) **


	6. 0-5: The Storm

Leon and Ashley saw the blue gas begin to flood into the hallway and covered their mouths. Leon took Ashely's hand and led her further up floors to one of the unlocked safe rooms. The first lone zombie was a man in a suit for the party. They were able to avoid him and run around. Soon, debris was blocking their path and the had to work together to move it. Two more zombies came out of nowhere.

Ashley had dove forward to dodge and landed near a fallen security guard, his gun still tight in his hands.

Meanwhile Leon began to fight with his bare hands, trying to move the other zombie out of the way so he could draw his gun and reach Ashley.

Leon rushed to help her up, when the second zombie had recovered and dove for his neck behind him. Leon had only time to turn around and see the putrid zombie's rotting flesh over its face...

...followed by a flash and a splat as a large gusher of blood spewed out of the undead abomination's head.

He turned to see Ashley standing there panting...with a smoking gun in her hand.

"Leon!" Ashley yelled and pointed her new firearm behind him.

Leon was fast enough to dart out of the way of the first zombie, and this time he was able to draw his gun before the zombie reached him. Bang!

The zombie was forced back from the gun's impact as the other monster rose to its feet beside it.

Leon and Ashley stood their ground and prepared...

"Now! Fire!"

As if they were doing this for ages as pros all their life, the two survivors pulled their triggers, and the brains of the remaining fallen men splattered over the walls as the remnants of their bodies dropped to the floor.

They ran up a flight of stairs to discover more secret secret service men that were still alive and had stayed behind valiantly to hold the enemy off as the Leon and Ashley, the last and only two survivors, made their way to safety.

At this next flight of stairs, zombies and rubble had begun to fall down. Stepping over corpses and dodging falling debris, they jumped as the wooden stairs gave away from out beneath their feet and pulled themselves up to the final floor.

Finally they had reached the metal panic room and pressed the button... only for steam from the air purification system to slowly come forth from the floor as the door raised ever too slowly.

The safe room took a long time to open, and so in an empty long corridor the two survivors held off the onslaught The other agents eventually perished

The first door of the decontamination chamber was now opened and they faced a second door. As they ran in and slammed the button to close the door, many figures could be seen running inhumanly towards them. Leon and Ashley by now had emptied their clips and waited for the end...

Finally, the door closed, and the undead banging on the door began. After a human scream outside it however, the attacks seemed to cease and footsteps could be heard moving away.

...for now.


	7. 0-6: The Panic Room

**"Sorry to keep you waiting." Kirk - RE5**

To say Ashley was now a wreck is putting it mildly. Visions of all her close friends, now borderline family and loved ones over the years she had spent as the president's daughter had appeared together in the same place one final time... only for them to be slaughtered before her own eyes.

Light mist sprayed over them from machines on the walls to sanitize them. This spray we her eyes even more, but snapped her back into this unfortunate nightmare of a reality

There was a brief alarm as they heard the undead banging against the door subside. Ashley just managed to glance at a red diagram of a human body with an arm highlighted bwfore the screen went green and the final door began unlocking.

Now it was Ashley who was worried about Leon. He seemed more nervous than back in Europe, but she couldn't figure out why. She almost had ahold of his hand when he jumped.

"S-sorry Ashley." He stuttered.

...Leon never stuttered...

"Are you alright Leon?" Ashley asked concerned, bringing back bad memories.

"...Yeah" he said calmly as she smiled back and looked away back at the door.

"I sure hope so." He muttered under his breath.

The second door opened and they looked through the room. A refrigerator, oven, pan, boxes of food, small table, wooden chairs and a traditional-lookong item storage box could be seen. The two quickly collapsed in their chairs and tried coming to grips with what the hell just happened and figure out what to do next. Light gas masks could be seen in the corner, and so they both took one.

"I'm going back out, looking for a way out." Leon said. He was almost out the door like it was no big dead when Ashley's hand blocked the automated doors from closing like i was nothing there.

"I'm going with you." Ashley replied confidently. A little surprised, Leon shook his head. "No."

"I'm not a kid anymore Leon! I've been preparing every day in case something like this ever happened again. I don't want to be sitting around useless anymore. I can take care of myself, and you! Just the same as you take care yourself and me."

Leon began to pace and talk aloud."Rescue isn't an option most likely; they'll be disinfecting and questioning forever with this being a restricted zone, and there is only enough food for a few days in here.

At this they both checked their phones to see no service, only to discover the main line hotspot was likely destroyed with the power. "There's no way to get in touch with each other, if we are separated." No internet or wi-fi seemed available for their phones or the hideout computer either. This was in no possible way that this was an accident or a cheap attack; a trained professional terrorist with access to bio organic weapons did this, killing all these people for whatever reason.

"Neither one of us could afford to stay here even if we wanted to." Ashley added. "I know how the government works; as soon as they can they'll probably want to either ditch and quarantine or nuke this place. We both have to get out of here now! Together... or well never survive all this alone."

Leon sighed deeply and continued pace thinking morally for the longest time. "OK, you are right." Leon said reluctantly, as Ashley's stressed face began to perk up... as much as it could under these circumstances.

"Now listen to me," Leon began. "You're still my responsibility, alright? No buts! It's my job to get you out of here, so you need to do exactly as I say, alright? If I say run, you run. If I say hide, you hide. If I say shoot it, you shoot whatever... or whoever it is. Finally, if I say go, to leave me and save yourself...

"Leon!" Ashley said.

"PROMISE ME Ashley!"

Ashley just stood there again, starting to cry just a little bit, but holding back tears and being tough.

"We don't know what this virus does or can do. I won't have you risking your life for me if I get infected."

"But what if I..." Ashley was interrupted by Leon, placing his finger over her lips, looking down, unwilling to consider the possibility of the worst case situation, tearing up a little bit himself. Leon soon regained his composure, confidently wrapping it up with "Finally, and most of all,... Don't give up! We have both trained for it. I know how strong you've become! Never give up, ok?

We can do this! Never. give. up."

"You promise?" Ashley asked.

Leon held her shoulders and nodded, causing ashley to blush.

Leon gave Ashley his knife to use and defend herself with along with her gun she found.

"Don't you need a melee weapon Leon?" Ashley asked.

Leon raised his wrist and examined like he was looking for the time on his watch. Then slowly he lowered it back down to his side and shook his head no.

Leon heard Ashley get situated to go back outside. He paused only once more, but muttered under his breath. "I think I might be a weapon."

The two survivors prepared to leave with both hands on the door's hand scanners, waiting for confirmation from the other to start.

"Leon" Ashley said as he prepared to open the door, turning on his headset set to Ashley's frequency. He turned himself around and Ashley continued "What about my dad? And Ada? AND CLAIRE!?"

"We can't worry about them tight now." Leon replied "Right now the only people we can count on to protect us are ourselves. The same goes for Ada and Claire, and they know it. Besides, the secret service and their training will help them and any others that may have survived...

...as long as the new president is safe." Leon paused "It'll take awhile for the helicopter to take off for Air Force One from here. As long as they aren't screened for takeoff... unless there is a clear and present danger to POTUS... the building and all of Camp David should be safe from any air strikes."

Ashley still didn't look convinced at his Secret Service mumbo jumbo.

Leon now faced her reassuringly and smiled as best he could. "We'll worry about that when the time comes, but they'll be protected too with the secret service and training."

Leon thought aloud, "It'll take some time before Air Force One is screened to take of. We'll make it."

He turned back around as Ashley asked "Are you sure?" Turning his neck back to her, he replied

"Absolutely. Now, are you ready."

Ashley replies confidently "Yes."

"Alright." Leon smirked, loading his pistol once more. "Let's go."

**Hey guys! Thank you all SO much for your patience with me finishing this next chapter. I will try to update my next one sooner like my double entry a chapter or two ago.**

**I took a longtime deciding whether or not to work in a new part of the atoey pertaining to one of the origional RE4 (3.5) concepts, plus I've just been overhwlemed lately with life. At least it certainy feels that way.**

**(Let me know if you figure out what I'm going for by that and whethwr or not you approve.)**

**Anyway, as always a big thanks to all my readers and those who have favorited and are currently following, and a BIG thanks to InuSBfan87 for this story's first review. I am really glad I went back and reworked this story, and you are the reasons why. Howefully I continue to keep doing the fans and readers justice! :)**


	8. 1-0: Airborne

Ladies and gentleman,

the wait is over

All of the backstory has finished and we are now ready to officially begin

**RESIDENT EVIL: ILLUMINATION**

**...and we are kicking it of with a bang!**

**For the longest time I had debated whether or bot to include this special twist about to unfold in the story inspired by canceled RE game idea concepts from Capcom.**

**It was the moment when I remembered a guest speaker at my college talking about character creation. He said the more complex and contrast you can make characters the better.**

**One crazy example was a ninja granny with a phobia of blood! I kid you not!**

**So,**

**...what do we to with a government agent known to hate B.O.W.'s with a passion? ;)**

**...muahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAA!**

**...sorry. I hoy a little carried away there.**

**Hopefully you all are as excited as I am!**

**While I'm thinking of it, I once again want to give special thanks to those three that chose to favorite and follow my story! Also a shoutout to my first reviewer of the story.**

**(I have something special planned for all of you!)**

**Finally, a simple but big thanks to those 400 viewers that took the time to read any part of my story.**

**Now, without further delay,**

**ENTER THE SURVIVAL HORROR...**

...

**Chapter 1.0 - Airborne**

"It's all under lockdown." Leon sighed.

He turned his gaze to Ashley, who leaned down on the ground beside him, watching his 6 as she called it before.

Cautiously, Leon continued to explain the sensitive predicament the two of them were in.

Ashley had been listening all of this time to Leon's surprise. However, what seemed to catch her gaze of attention to detail the most at the moment was the small dart on the ground, oozing a purple liquid.

"How did that get in here?" She thought to herself. "Wouldn't the sterilization process thingy have noticed this? What else could have gone by unnoticed?"

Leon finally stopped what he was doing and went to comfort her, putting his left hand down onto her shoulder as he finished what he was doing on the system.

Ashley's gaze had shifted to her left...

"AHHHhHhHhHh!" pierced the around barrier when Ashley lept backwards to the other door, almost stepping on a needle!

Leon had now drawn his gun and was looking rapidly in all directions with his iron sights.

Now he felt annoyed with so much yelling and was disappointed that Ashley wouldn't be able to handle things.

Was she even aiming her firearm anywhere in particular right now?

...wait, she was...

...it was pointing in his direction.

"Ashley?" He said puzzled, turning and checking behind hum just in case. "What is it?"

"Don't come any closer!" Ashley stammered "St-st-stay back Leon; please... Don't make me do this. Oh God!"

"Calm down." Leon insisted reassuringly like before. He reached his arm from beneath his other hand and reached for her.

"Everything is going to be..." Leon felt something sticky on his right hand from where his limb rested beneath before

"...alright?" He asked himself, now unsure.

Slowly his eyes moved to his left arm he was raising... And what now was resting at the top... what Ashley had saw before:

Happy for the affection, Ashley placed her own dress-gloved hand onto it and felt the reassuring texture of Leon's... hand?

She moved her fingers slowly on the surface of her protectors skin.

...it felt slimy...

Petrified, she slowly turned and faced what she had just touched, eyes straight forward and head rotating ever slightly towards her point of eye contact.

...it was purple...

...had 3 fingers...

...and was attached to Leon's arm

replacing his old hand!

"Shit!" Leon backed himself away, dropping his own gun in panic and causing it to fire at the wall.

"No..." He muttered as Ashley began to cry.

"No... No no no No NO!"

Panicked, he shoved his sleeve up to reveal purple veins coming up his wrist and the mark from a dart launched before when a bioball had been thrown in from outside.

He flashed back to when he shoved Ashley to the ground and protected her with his body.

He felt ok afterwards... Save for a light pinch he quickly dismissed in the stressful situation.

When he switched the metal door closed with his access card, he thought a dinging sound could have been heard. It was likely at the time to have been a shell casing hitting the floor.

...it wasn't.

It was an empty dart.

Drops of purple liquid fell off Leon...

...coming from the bloody cut in his arm

After so many years, despite all of his training he began to panic. Leon began ripping his belt off and letting supplies fall to the floor as he cut off his circulation.

He picked up his knife, gazing at its' reflection.. At his reflection... Of his arm... While he still could...

Biting down on the end of the belt he cried out in pain as the serrated blade was rubbed against his own skin.

Try as he might, he somehow could not remove the limb!

His newfound skin was hard and scaly beneath the strange mucus.

"Leon." Ashley squeaked out.

Try as hard as he might, Leon could do nothing about this.

"Leon!" She said again.

Leon continued to dismiss her, going as far as to wave the knife at her in panic.

"LEON!" Ashley stunned him with her voice, shoving the knife aside and embracing him.

She cried...

..he even cried a little...

They both cried.

It was over?

Before it even began?

...Leon S. Kennedy was infected by the C-Virus.

...

What felt like hours passed in that same spot Ashley and Leon were embraced in.

"Heh." Leon finally let out, breaking the silence to Ashley's surprise. She looked up at her friend with mascara dripping down her face.

"Never thought it would come to this..." Leon muttered in spite of himself.

He began to help Ashley to her feet.

"Wha... Leon, what are you saying?"

Leon just looked up at her with a slight grin.

...flipping his gun around in his hand and handing it to her.

"Go ahead." Leon spoke softly.

Ashley shook her head firmly.

"You need to do this Ashley." Leon insisted. "It's not a safe house if an infected is still here."

Ashley shoved the gun and turned away.

She hung her head low at the floor standing up as straight as she could under the depressing circumstances.

No matter what happened, not that a transformation had physically set in...

...beat case scenario...

...Leon's days were numbered or limited to an amputation.

"...fine." Leon said, turning the gun swiftly to his own head!

"But I can't stay here. You need to get moving. I'll just find an isolated place..."

"I can't do this without you..." Ashley interrupted. She was beyond upset.

"Ashley," Leon sighed sternly "this is no time to back out..."

"NO! I cant!" She insisted before calmly adding "I mean, I literally can't do it."

Leon tilted his head, but slowly got what she was saying and now understood.

"There's no way that only one of us can make it alone with two guns against all of those...poor... ...lost... Things."

Leon starred right up at her, the gun-barrel still pointed at his ear.

"...It's no all just emotions here with girls Leon!" Ashley emphasized her wording of Girls as she shoved the suicidal weapon from the agent, adding gruffly "men..."

"You're just worried I'll embarrass you out there hu?"

"Pfff..." Leon replied "Women."

As the door to the cold zone began to open, Ashley remembered to hand Leon back his knife. He shoved it back. "Keep it."

"Don't you need a backup weapon Leon?" Ashely asked wisely but shyly.

Leon looked down in horror and disgust at his other arm.

"I think I am a weapon now."

Suddenly, the blue gas began to spray through into the room.

"THE MASKS!" Leon yelled to Ashley. The blue clear breathing devices fastened themselves onto their faces on contact and lit as if t were something neon from a sci-fi movie.

"How did it..." Ashley began "How did the virus make it up this far if it's just gas?"

Leon gulped in nervously, savoring the last of the natural air in the room.

"It's airborne."


	9. 1-1: The Decent

**1-1: The Decent**

"Leon..." Ashley asked cautiously "...are you... alright?"

The arm no longer scared Ashley or Leon, and that was the scariest part of all. To think that suddenly a world full of mutations no longer seemed impossible, let alone the fact that they were to be expected in today's day and age would baffle most people a decade or two ago.

Or about fifteen years to be more precise.

Fifteen years... Had it really been that long since the horrible tragedy of Racoon City?

Leon continued to watch his arm move. Sometimes it swayed or twitched on its' own, but other times despite complete loss of circulation it behaved normally... as normally as one were to expect a purple mutant arm to!

Leon was lost in thought, so much that Ashley's sudden presence made him jump and reach out.

"Le-eeeep!" Ashley cried before covering her mouth to about attracting attention to anything out. However, rather than horror, a deep red blush was hidden beneath her hand.

Leon's new hand now lay on Ashley'a chest.

The awkward seconds passed before Leon snapped out of it and violently pulled it off Ashley's body, making a sticky sound as it painlessly but tediously began to peel itself off her exposed skin.

Leon looked back up, feeling descrased and embarassed... whereas Ashley seemed to be stifling a smile, adjusting her cheeks to try and keep a straight face now that she had moved the hand shielding it.

Leon almost seemed to wait to be scolded, but when the smack to the face never came he shyly muttered "I'm sorry Ashley."

Ashley nodded back, almost too enthusiastically...

UuuuuUuUuu!

Leon shielded her with his body, careful not to grab her again.

...

...silence.

Leon stood upright and checked his pistol.

"Stay here." He warned Ashley.

Nodding, she watched him lean back against the edge of the wall by the corner before abruptly turning and walking forward slowly.

Grinning ever so slightly, Ashley made sure Leon was completely out of sight before slipping her phone out from beneath a pocket under her dress. Sadly there was still no signal, but that isn't the reason she got it out. Raising it at just the right angle facing her so her face could still be easily distinguished, she make a kiss-face and squeezed her arms around her front to better accent the purple handprint on her before taking a picture...

...a flash startling something around the corner!

**hey everyone!**

**sorry that it has been so long, but it may have to be even a little bit longer I'm afraid. For personal reasons, it has been harder for me to pump these out.**

**so, I'll make you a deal:**

**let's see if we can't get this story to 500 views.**

**It would really help to show me that you all still care.**

**Other great ways to express your interest would be to follow, favorite and comment.**

**oK, cya!**


	10. 1-2: The Test

1-2: The Trials

**You LOVE me! You really really LOVE ME!**

**ALMOST 750 Views and counting!**

**New Follow(s) and Favorite(s.)**

**Thank you all SOOOOOOO MUCH!**

**Well, I promised to get this next part of the story out to you soon, but I had a hard enough time remembering the first name idea I had in mind.**

**Yes, I am trying to use "The" in front of most of them, save for the root chapters at first.**

**Anyway, I finally picked one that I was going to use for the first chapter (1-1), but decided to hold onto the idea for an event now that will test Ashley's limits of her sanity and see if she has what it takes to surpass her fears and emotions to survive.**

**I originally wanted to call this the Trials, but it just didn't seem to fit, so after countless hours I had settled on a word that helps emphasize the insanity of all this...**

**THE TRIBULATIONS**

**(There's a small nonphysical but speial prize for who can tell me where I got that from.)**

**In heinsight though, I decided to go back and change it and save my idea for another more intense chapter.**

**i hole you enjoy: **

**THE TEST**

"Ok, are you sure about doing this?"

Leon stared into Ashley's eyes.

This was like some sick twisted hazing to him what this would be putting her through.

...still, he didn't want to admit it, but she has been right this whole time. Too much time has passed to stay together waiting in the Panic Room and hoping for some sort of rescue instead of nuclear firebombing.

He just hoped Ashley could go thought with it... and bite herself for it later...

...survival guilt...

The seconds that passed felt more like minutes

"I'm ready." Ashley broke the silence.

"O.K." Leon checked and handed back her gun.

As they turned the corner with caution and handguns raised at 90 degrees, they found the source of the noise.

The first test.

Ashley let out a gasp when she recognized that dress...

"Emily!" called out a bright younger and happier Ashley Graham. She had on her best Sunday style clothes and skipped to meet her friend, the Senator's daughter.

"Oh! Ashley!" Emily beamed at the site.

The two quickly embraced and began rushing around the White House grounds, seeing all of the colors and activities while the children searched for Easter eggs.

Ashley and her friend skipped along, hearing dad call out to her from the distance.

"Ashley! Ashley!"

..

"Ashley!"

Leon snapped her back into reality. Ashley slowly winced and the face of her childhood friend was now covered in blood with a look of primal rage.

Time seemed to slow down as the zombie lunged forward, its' staggered pace and posture suddenly composed and deadly.

Leon had only just now raised his gun to fire, but the undead was

now in arms reach of Ashley, lowering its' head ready to sink her teeth into flesh.

Leon went to pull the trigger.

BANG!

The zombie fell to its' knees, a smoking hole in between its' eyes. Another metal one across from it came on the form of a gun barrel.

Ashley's.

She began to cry as the corpse fell to the ground.

Sobbing, Ashley embraced Leon as he lowered his gun to approach her. Comforting the girl, his friend, a survivor who should never had to go through any of this before, let alone now...

...the moans...

...they weren't Ashley's!

Pulling Ashley back with a slimy grip and ridiculous stregnth, Ashley was back against the wall in a second as Emily's body sprung from the ground, diving for Leon's neck!

CRUNCH!

The rotting eyes looked down only to find the cracking bone's was not Leon's neck or arm for that matter! It was her teeth.

Purple scales prickled up from the arm Leon had just a moment before clear on the other side of his body saving Ashley. Now suddenly it was back in front of him. Then it circled around the attacked as Leon spun behind. SNAP!

Leon let out a sigh as the pulp hung limp in his arm...

RAAAHH!

Before spasming back to life once more!

"Ashley! The knife!"

Fumbling around but with a firm nod, Ashley grabbed the blade off the ground. Tears streaming down her face, it was now time for lesson two. Ashley grunted emotionally as she repetitively stabbed at the body, muscles severing and nicking Leon's arm a few times (but doing more damage to the knife and poor fallen Emily combined!)

At last, Leon felt it was safe to let go, as the twitching now seemed to produce no real movement.

There were no tears left and seemed as though nothing could be said.

Regrettably, Leon prepare to move on.

"Alright, lesson number 3: you need AHHH!"

HACK!

Leon had moved his foot just in time in response to the sudden flip from the unyielding hunk of flesh in the dress, before Ashley's knife (once Leon's) hit the back of the spine and severed its' head.

Blood gushed from the body and all signs of life had stopped.

...anything close to life anyway.

A grim tension was felt in the room. Now Ashley was simply mad and ready to escape this hellhole she once called a home away from home during her father's time in presidency.

Was he even still alive?

Was anyone she knew alive?

Clearly nothing was left of the childhood friend, no longer having any resemblance to whom she once knew.

"Okay," Leon broke her train of thought again.

"You're ready."

Together, Leon and Ashley descended one more flight of stairs, down to the second floor and the locked control room.

"At least now," Leon said slowly, looking over to Ashley with a weak smile. "You've seen as bad it should ever get."

...

Beneath them on the main floor, corpses of the dead surrounded in a purple moss from the direct attack posed in fleeing positions. The blue gas lingered around these forms as they slowly began to harden.

Still clear, the back of one man hunched over seemed to have died with his shoulder bladed extended from the back.

These markings split in a burst of red eyes.

**Sorry these aren't coming out any faster. Personal stuff combined with the celebrations coming up. **

**The good news is that I have a lot of the remaining chapter put together. It's all just a matter of time and organization.**

**STAY TUNED!**

**P.S.: for those of you wondering where the heck is Steve or Claire or Ada, they'll be made aware of the situation whithin the next chapter.**

**And you will see them soon...er than you'll probably realize! ; )**


	11. 1-3: The Search

**Well, sadly it looks like I actually lost a follower. :(**

**I wanted to appologize for making you guys wait so long.**

**i haven't been feeling well lately, and things being so hecktic around home certainly hasn't helped one bit.**

**as a small way of appologizing, here is what I have done so far to be set in stone for the next chapter.**

**any friendly advice and comments are always welcome**

Some stray zombies remained on the top floor there. The erie moans flooded the dark powerless rooms while the remaining blue fog covered the floor.

Leon and Ashley would immediately noticed a difference once they reached the second floor. While the very top was, aside from the bunker, meant simply for storage and a view (when not sealed by metal all around), the second floor was actual rooms and living space. Below there was the large gathering area in the stone-looking base of the lodge was a gathering area for small events like tonight. It was where they started when all of this mess happened.

The only way to reactivate the building to unlock the steel doors locking them in and escape the containment was to get into the control room back on the first floor.

Ashley and Leon dropped back down in the stairwell from the floor in which they had came before that collapsed, realizing that they would need each other to get back up. Able to look around now, the two noticed the second floor was much more open and modern, wooden instead of metallic, save for some equipment, computers and a safe in the different rooms. Some were office like buildings like for the president, while others were bunks and bedrooms.

"Strange how these are just simple locks." Ashley commented retrospect to the security.

Leon simply replied that no one would ever really suspect a ground assault of this magnitude near such a Secret Service and military presence. Heck, there was the question of why the place hadn't been stormed by now by a hazmat unit at the very least. Them again, this virus... was different.

"Anyway," Leon continued "we'll need a way in should there be anything from within that'll help us get through these security doors."

"Err... i have a hairpin to get in my room!" Ashley remembered. Good thing she had done her golden hair up despite it being short for the occasion. She use to lock herself in and out several times during her stays their as daughter of the president simply to feel like she could get away from it all. But there was no escape... Not then and most certainly not right now.

"Good thinking." Leon replied, Ashley smiling at the compliment. "Let's watch for any other stragglers."

The door to Ashley's old room she change in creaked open.. Sounding like nails on a chalkboard under the circumstances. Still, Leon was on gaurd to protect and watch her back.

"Just like old times." He joked.

...but this was different...

...here their fors weren't even truly alive. They felt no pain and fid not flinch or heaitate at the sight, sound, feel, taste or even smell debatably of flesh.

Food...to feed... that is what all these abominatioms know how to do.

The two of them needed to work together in order to avoid them at all costs. Ammo was scarce and there were a lot of people in this fairly small "home" for a party of close friends only.

"Hang on." Ashley whispered, snapping Leon back to their unfortunate reality. "I'll go check the drawers and my stuff for the pin and anything else we can use."

Ashley needed to have her head in the game too. Before, in Europe, Ashley needed only to stay hidden safely behind Leon and do only what he told her she needed to do.

Now Ashley was stronger, and like it or not Leon needed her to help stop the walking bodies of her lost friends and loved ones: those whom she knew duting her time as the president's daughter.

at least that's all Leon hoped they would face was the zombies. He prayed the only other mutation here was...his arm...

...the scary part was when it would act out on its' own flailing...

...the scariest thing was that now Leon did not feel any pain or discomfort from it. It felt...natural to him by now fighting enemies as he would have before.

Hell, he... God help him... Felt good.

...during his little speach with Ashley at the begining of this nightmare, he did not have te foresight in the heat of the moment to actually...kill him... if need be.

This was already so much and so hard on her...

He wanted to reach out to her and tell his "living will," ...but when reahig for her shoulder, he saw it again... that arm... So dangerous... So... valuable...

Unfortunately, they would need to take the risk for now. Poor Ashley just wasn't strong enough or experienced in taking down monsters like this, and so he would have to... lend a hand... whenever he could.

He just had to hold on... long enough for her...

Leon did say to leave him for dead if she had to...

maybe the best thing... for both of them... was that he didn't make it out alive.

"Found it!" Ashley called out as softly as she could.

but that all would need wait.

they would cross that path when...if... WHEN they got there.

Right now, they had to survive!

The Horror was just beginning...


	12. 1-4: The Horror

**The Horror**

****if this is your first time back in awhile, please reread last chapter. It will help to add detail**

**onve entitled "Comin Soon", I have chosen to ad to it ad make it an official part of the story.****

**Hey guys and gals!**

**Remember me!?**

**...no? O.K., can't aay I blame you.**

**So, to all you fellow writters out there:**

**Do you ever have one of those times when you are writting a chapter with it's own completely seperate focus, but end up with a small part growing into it's own standalone chapter instead.**

**"The Horror." Is one of those times. ENJOY!**

"Look at me." Leon calmly instructed Ashley.

"I know you wanna look... Subconsciously... and you may have to..."

Leon sighed at this point. "But I don't want you to have that image in your mind. You need to stay with me now; there's no turning back. Just stay close to me and DON'T LOOK AT THE FLOOR."

Ashley nodded, scared but confident. She had already seen so much. To prove herself to Leon, her friend, confidant, protector, hero and crush all rolled up into one, that she was no longer the weak helpless girl he first met years ago...and confirm that risking his life for her was worth it.

To him... Her family... and herself

The blue mist still hung eerily on the floor as they walked trough the grand hall where the night of horror first began. It was going by in a rush, yet they needed to be careful and not make any crucial mistakes...

"Uh." Ashley moaned as she tripped. She felt ashamed and embarrassed as Leon looked back at her and motioned for her to stay quiet. "Shh..." Zombies were actually very sensitive to sound, something that could be an advantage when deterring them, but a disadvantage if you're trying to avoid confronting, alerting or "awakening" them altogether.

Ashley brushed herself as beat she could, looking down just enough get back up, spying trough the blue gas mask the stains of blood on her once pristine golden-yellow dress she hoped would somehow impress Leon with her new more athletic figure. All she could hear was her breath and the slight creek as she rose.

Again she felt herself tripping, but stayed upright and caught herself. Trying to step around bodies in heels with the ends broken off (Ashley did earlier for efficiency) under blue fog wasn't a task she would ever consider easy, yet it was almost as if someone was...pulling...

Leon could see the sheer horor in Ashley's face as the rotting face of a guest in a suit slowly rose. It's hair had completely fallen off and the inside of his mouth could be seen trough holes, as well as the red contents within.

Ashley fought with all her might not to vomit in her mask, fearing certain death if she did so. She quickly backed up and fell over as the zombie rose.

She felt reassured despite more undead rising that she fell against the firm upright legs of...

"Ashley!" Leon called out to er from behind... he form she was leaning against.

Slowly her eyes went wide as she looked up at the face of death herself descending down on her.

With a split second, Leon had tackled the figure over Ashley, ducking in reaction and helping to flip it over and into the first enemy.

As they turned around, two more figures rose and the fight began.

*click*

Before the two of them could blink, their guns were empty and they were pinned. Two flesh-eating corpses of the fallen guests they had just talk with not so long ago, snapped at them. Leon struggled to hold it back with his right hand, but soon realized the surface behind them was loose.

This was no wall; it was a doorway.

Not only that, but despite it seemingly barricaded to be impenetrable to the infected right now in this time of crisis, Leon literally had a trick ip his other sleeve. The exception!

"Ashley shove backwards as hard as you can!"

Ashley could barely hold her assailant back with both her hands. All seemed lost with no seeming immunity to the infection like Leon. However, she soon gained hope as she kicked backwards and noticed what Leon had in mind...

"On three." She replied after a nod.

"One..." The zombie just missed the tip of Leon's nose.

"Two..." Ashley almost slipped onto the floor due to the body weight on her.

""THREE!" Leon yelled out almost in pain as his bioweapon of an arm cracked the metal plate of te classic wooden door. The force with Ashley's help was enough to force back the appliances reinforcing the door.

Ashley did not land so gracefully, where as in a flash Leon had tolled backwards, leapt from his back off the ground and shoved the wooden barricade scraps that were once a threshold back into place.

Purple blood gushed from Leon's arm. It wasn't infected thank God...

...or rather anymore so than it already was.

A good first aid spray from the emergency case on the wall seemed like it would fix him right up...

...but t made it worse!

Ashley shrieked at the sudden burst of pain Leon emitted verbally through swearing, but fortunately when the medicine hit Leon's human skin, it was enough to make the foul substance darken and harden into a scab.

"You okay?" Ashley emotionally asked, concerned with the situation of her friend and savior almost more than herself.

"Yeah," he replied sounding nearly exhausted, sliding down the wall onto his rear sitting. "You?"

"Mm,hmm." she mustered, somehow even now finding a smile to show as she kneeled down to fix his hair being silly about worrying over such a thin earned Ashley a laugh and the tender and thankful gaze of Leon.

They were safe...

...for now.

**Again, I appologize for being so ridiculously late with this. My attempts to continue witm the prelude to the first big "boss" chapter have kept being interfeared with. Everything from college prep to an unfortunate but inevitable death and funeral in the family has left me exahsted physically, mentally, socially and emotionally on so many levels.**

**fortunately, I have this to hold you over adter finall attempting to make the bridge from last chapter untill the next. **

**I'm hoping for the next part to be out relatively soon, especially since I was working on the beginnin of it as the final part I needed and ended up with a whole chapter bu itself instead. Oh well.**

**Origionally, I wanted to keep these subchapters (1.1,1.2,1.3) limited to .0-.9, but at this rate I may very well have to push the envelope beyond the 6 that RE5's levels were based on.**

**i've struggled in the past telling stories as stories rather than game ideas deapite beng from a game, while at the sa time getting to express the layout of theworld like a oard game in the fashion of actualame designers.**

**i'd love to have some "behind-the-scene" stuff you can see too, but for now I'll leave you to wander your imaginations andapcilate the next part in my 6 years in-progress fanpiece of Resident Evil: Illumination...coming up, a grim pale narrative I hope will get to CHILL YOU TO THE BONE!**

**c-ya! Luv ya! mean it!**

**subscribe!**


	13. 1-5: The Cold

p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongWell folks... those few left.../strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strong...I'm not sure how much of this story I will end up continuing unleas I can get some positive reaponse from this, my big boss fight chapter./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongeither way, I plan to edit this story's descption to make for its' own standalone and start the next actual group of chapters as a nee fanfiction to hopefully attract more viewers./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongDon't worry Steve and Claire fans; that part is indeed coming up in a later part of the story sets. In fact... You may see him again sooner than you think! ;)/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongMuahahahah!/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongwell fans, its' all up to you:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strongtake a read and let me know what you think about THE COLD!/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;".../p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"strong1-5: The Cold/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"A scattered mess of meat rieked before them, trapped in the kitchen. Much of it was once human. Worse yet, there was something almost toxic about the air there as totting flesh almost seemed to be emitting a gas from somewhere./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"They were quick to close the next door before the undead broke their way through./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Too soon.../p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Before they could have realized what they had done, they had opened the ajar metal door and sealed there fate... inside the freezer!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Leon struck at the door angrily, swearing./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"He was actually able to make a small dent using his newfound power and that mutant arm of his,... but sadly it wasn't enough./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Leon sank to the cold ground besides Ashley, who meekly smiled to comfort him, even holding his purple hand./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"This noise awoke three zombies concealed in the freezer frost. After beating them, they heard coughing and discovered a waiter still alive./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Hey." Leon shook the man back into their harsh reality. "Hey, What happened?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""I got ttttraped in here when I ran and hid from the zombies. Guess ssssome other people got in here befffffore me too. It all happened so ffffasttttt that I didn't notice./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Sssssorry."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""You look hurt." Ashley said in concern. "And you must be freezing." She began to approach him./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Don't!" He yelled. "I got bit...I don't have much tttttime left. Please just sssshot me...get it over with." he pleaded./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""No" Leon insisted. "There must be a way out of here. Out of this freezer, into the security room and onto the plane before it takes off./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""There issss" Pierre, a cook as he was called on his blood-covered name tag began. "One of the guardssss in the kitchen kkkkeps a cccardkey sssso we can ttttake ffffffoooood..." He struggled to say as he continued. "...ttto the guardssss and workerssss."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Thank you." Leon said respectfully, taking off his damaged suit jacket and wrapping it over the dying man. "Just hold on. We'll get you to the plane. You're gonna make it."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""It'ssss ttttttoooo llllate," The worker stammered "and you knnnnnnnow it. That'ssssss why I wassssssn't atttttacked."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"There was dead silence.../p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Anything elssssse I can hhhhelp you withhhh?" Pierre asked./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"They thought for a little bit, seeing the pity in each other's eyes."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Ashley began to speak up, unsure of what to say or whether to ask it or not.../p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""...do you have any of those cheesecake cookies left?" Ashley asked awkwardly./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Ashley!" Leon asked shocked but with a chuckle in his voice. Pierre laughed to while coughing in pain./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Ssssecond shelf tttto the leftttt" Pierre struggles with a gasp to say./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Ashley went to help him but Leon stopped her short; there was nothing we can do./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Itssss ffffunny" Pierre said weakly. "I tttthought I'd sssscrew up the ffffood on my bbbig bbbbreak at the ppparty." Ashley smiled and had one of the cookies, nodding her head in agreement strongly with what her taste buds were telling her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Mmmm... Very good." She said sweetly and honestly. "Thank you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""It'ssss nnnnice to knnnnow my llllast dissssh with the pppassssttttry... Cccchef was a gggoodddd...one." Pierre said as he took one final breath./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Bbbbbonnnn...apppppa...teeeet..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"He was gone./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"At this, however, the door burst into steel shards and slime yellow-green ooze covered the hole. Looking around, the looked for the culprit./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Back to back. Leon pointed his gun and flashlight to all the corners while Ashley searched the floor with hers./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Upon clearing this, she began too look up a the ceiling when she noticed a drop of slime on the ground that had freshly fallen. Than another drop fell, corroding the floor further away./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"On the way out Ashley could barely breathe as the smell of the new smell combined with the boiling flesh of a bleeding man whose face had fallen into a pot on the gas stove./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"As she past it however, the body sprung to life and dove for her!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Ashley!" Leon yelled drawing his gun... Watching in horror as the cook's hat began to swell up into a large boil resembling his once white hat!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"As he went to shoot however, Pierre dove in butting air to get to Leon's arm as a zombie!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"Ashley was finall able to break free and push herself away down one isle while Leon flipped zombie Pierre over his shoulder. They both fired simultaneously. Leon's bullet hit close since he was closer and Pierre's reanimated body stopped moving instantaneously...as just a split second later Ashley's bullet from further away went high on the cook and hit the Chef's hat-shaped boil...causing a huge explosion of acidic puss!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Look!" Ashley exclaimed pointing!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"She had noticed the body of a security officer on the floor by a rather large chef's corpse. They could see the blue card key shining in his coat pocket./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"They rushed to get it when they saw the body recede closer to the dead chef. They heard knawing and soon realized it was coming from the undead cook!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""No!" Ashley exclaimed running for the card, but was too late an was stopped by Leon as the top half of the deceased agent's body entered the gaping mouth of the cook...who had begun to swell up to three times his normal weight and body fat!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"In a spastic rage, the beast began to gnaw on its' own arm... Using a newfound mouth formed by tows of teeth within a gash through his stomach! The loose bones on the arm began to spin rapidly, and soon Pierre now had a circular saw for an arm!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"A shiny spec of blue flew from the tendons propelling the blade and into the rows of fangs on his chest. The keycard!/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"After what seemed like hours.../p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"He began sprinting in a tackle towards the two, landing head first right into an oven with his butcher knife in hand still wailing around./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Leon!" Ashley pointed at the exposed coil from the lit gas oven./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"A large fiery explosion erupted from the oven as burning pieces of flesh rained down from the ceiling... leaving the blue key card perfectly exposed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Got it!" Leon said./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Good...ew!l" Ashley exclaimed upon closer inspection of the wet red chunks on fire around her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;""Let's get out before this meat starts cooking!"/p 


	14. 1-6: The Heat

**Okay guys and gals, I'm back!**

**Claire fans, I promise I will get to her side of the story ASAP, but for now, she is behind the scenes and this is Leon and Ashley's chapter working together. **

**Don't worry; there will be many other combinations of characters working together with time in the spotlight! Thanks for your patience and I'm up for answering questions in email or comments!**

**...**

**1-6: The Heat**

The only rooms left were on the way down to the basement. Leon and Ashley noticed a rather large metal security door that had dropped down over some sort of escape route!

"I never knew about this!" Leon exclaimed.

"Apparently somebody did." Ashley replied, pointing towards a rack of flashlights with two missing.

Taking a door to the right, they came to a sign that said Furnace.

As they entered however, they found themselves in a large maze of cool cement halls. Ashley began to tire from the enormity of the basement level and began to pant, holding herself up with her hands on her knees in exhaustion.

She slowly looked up to discover a blue monster with a long tongue and exposed brain. Ready to scream, Leon covered her mouth and whispered to walk away slowly because the Lickers were blind. This one seemed to still notice them and dropped down, reaching out on its' hind legs for a target, tentacles like its tongue reaching out. However, they were able to duck and avoid being touched and made there way through the tunnels.

Finally they had reached the door and quickly shut it behind them suddenly overwhelmed by the massive difference in temperature, as well as the old dungeon-looking appearance of the furnace room.

As they rounded the corner, Ashley was about to scream! Quickly, Leon covered her mouth and pulled her back.

Mere feet away from them was a hissing noise, coming from what looked to be the back of a giant walking cobra.

Slowly, the purple figure seemed to use its' tongue to see. It's back was toward them, and showed the most gruesome-looking face on the "hood" that literally seemed to wrap around the back and head like a grim reaper cloth.

Leon slowly let go and made a motion for Ashley to stay quiet. Time dragged on forever as Leon cautiously approached the behemoth.

Ashley couldn't help but stare down the "face" of the cobra. The mouth looked ready to open with real teeth...

Leon was close enough to reach out with his mutant hand.

...the face had the shape of a monster in and of itself...

If Leon could just grab it and plow trough its' heart, this could be over before it began.

...the eyes gleamed back at her... LIKE REAL ONES!?

Ashley was alerted... AND THE MONSTER NOTICED!

Leon froze in a split second, as the design on the monster's back starred back... and blinked!

Another split-second later, leon ducked around and under sharp claws similar to his as the beast spun around to strike.

It saw with it's tongue too... all three of them! Fangs drew out from it's mouth as the eye sockets opened to form two smaller tongues with it's long whip of a third!

They heard the creature scream as they drew their guns towards the noise. The sound was now came from the licker hanging from the ceiling that fell in front of the fiery chamber in the furnace. It's skin began to burn and smoke as it cried out in pain... Mutating into something much more ferocious.

As it rose to its' hind legs however, Leon noticed a blue needle dart injected into its neck like a tracker, and Ashley saw a red keycard hanging from a chain around the monsters teeth.

It could have the first Bloodshot fight back at the furnace or something, and it watched as he examined it.

A licker with a needle stuck in him transformed it from a partygoer!

The beast charged at Leon... and he charged right back, taking it's coat and knocking him into the open furnace and setting it ablaze!

"...and that's what happens when you leave your licker out in the heat kids!" Leon joked.

"Any questions?"

The beast crawled back out slowly...

Ashley replied rhetorically with "Yeah, how do we kill it?"

"The brain...no wait!" Leon added. Upon further investigation, he noticed the monsters' chest cavity seemed to open and close with each breath, revealing the monsters core.

"The heart! Aim for the heart!"

Finally, as bullets burst through the lunging abomination, it fell down towards them and lay still.

Upon shooting the hulk down, they found the card on him and took their keys back down to open up the room.

"If we can't stand the heat..." Leon began.

Ashley finished with "I'm not going back in that cold kitchen!"

No, they were heading to freedom: HOME!

...

**One last thing before I disappear for another 6 weeks... Lol jk.**

**Would you guys be interested in hearing a holiday parody with these characters I had whipped up awhile back? I wouldn't mind giving it a reboot for the holidays, but it may contain spoilers for this story an would put me further behind on this one. Up to you!**


	15. 1-7a: The Venom (Part One)

**While looking through my old notes for this story, i read somewhere early on that I would like to get 400 views that chapter.**

**It's been many Chapters later, and...**

**WE ARE AT OVER 2,500 VIEWS! :D**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has either just visited or stuck around and has been keeping up with it this while time!**

**I know that I have been very busy, but I realize that success on here cannot be measured by myself without your constant support. I am eternally grateful. Thank you! **

...

1-7: The Venom

Ashley was really starting to feel like a cool secret agent now that her adrenaline kicked in. They had both keycards needed to enter the security room. From there, hopefully the emergency power and supplies here would be enough technology for maing contact with the outside, opening up the doors and getting the heck out of dodge... before they loose their lives... everything... in the firebombing of her old home away from home: Camp David.

...Exciting!

Their most recent near-death experience with a cobra hunter was so adept; it had eyes on the back of his head... literally...

Now Leon and Ashley moved swiftly back down the corridors with their backs against the wall. At every corner, one would peek out with the end of their gun and check for any possible "hostiles," basically any body they could see (very difficult through he dense fog-like gas of the virus) that wasn't infected or not already burned with Leon's lighter. Then one or the other would motion for the other that it was relatively "safe" to move up and on.

"Does Leon always feel this awesome!?" Ashley thought jokingly. She looked up and over at her idol and protector as they made their way back up the stairs from whence they first had fled up when this nightmare had all began. His game-face meant that he was totally in the zone and din't notice her.

"He looks so manly," she thought with a smile.

Slowly as they stopped briefly, he would wipe the sweat from above his...bloodshot... eyes and onto his forehead, up into his hair... Making it shed a bit... With his free arm... that was purple and infected.

Ashley gulped when he realized that with her noble and once deservingly-perfect hero, was looking more or less like anything but a human.

"maybe a little too bit in the zone..."

Every now and then, despite the stress of the situation and the need tokeep one's gaurd up at any moment, Leon coupd not help but look down at his arm.

It was almost like Leon HAD to...

Fighting these monsters...

...these...other...monsters...

...he would "loose himself."

Finally, they arrived at the security room.

With a keycard in each hand on opposite sides of the mahogany red metal-plated double doors, they swiped at each reader simultaneously.

*Beep*

*growl*

"oh shit!" Leon exclamed.

The rusles of the undead could be heard exhoing their cries around the hallway.

"So much for being quiet." Ashley thought.

as they rushed into the room, the gas swept in the control room like a vacuum in space...

RAAA!

Bringing a messy zombie with a bullet in his head suddely to life.

The skinny lank of oozing flesh dove out from it's fetal dead pose in the corner of the room and towards the two survivors.

With quick thinking... and inhuman reflexes, Leon reached for Ashley's arm as his fingers coasped her...all three of them.

"Aoh!" Ashley yelped in pain as the scaily arm pulked her in the room and to the side They were away from the monster, Leon's other arm just grazing the tip of its' fingernails.

It's nails were purple...and despite Ashley pumping a round in and swinging her hero's knife at it, both wounds instantly seeped in upon itself and were gone. Only the hole between its' eyes that ended its' life remained open and exposed as the doors closed mechanically behind them.

Leon had shoved it out across the hall with such brute force that it cracked the wall opposite as he sealed the door.

...

Leon would continue to fight naturally with all of his might to protect Ashley and get her put of here. Even...especially... at the cost of his own.

He shot with impeccable accuracy...

He punches could destroy a boul...err... match his friend Chis Redfield's strength blow for blow. ...at least his left hook...

He snuck around like things that creep in the night, and he struck without any warning and terror! He was like a...

...he was a monster.

It was different killing before.

He felt more humanity.

He felt more compassion.

He felt more dirty.

Now it was like he didn't care. At this point he would kill of shoot anything he felt the need to... the desire to... The pleasure to.

Was it like this before? Was he just being a survivor? Or was this arm turning him more and more into something else.

At first, he thought of this as paranoia, but then he realized...

It was all that was keeping him sane.

He needed to keep reminding himself o what he is... No... WHO he is!

The second he stops thinking... The instant he fails to recognize what his own body was doing... it could be over.

Then again, if he dwells on this, it could be life and death for Ashley. He needed to be ready, but he needed to keep sane.

Was this in itself insanity? Or was true intelligence recognizing the issue and focusing on what he is fighting for.

Freedom...

Peace...

...Ashley.

Right now, looking into death's right eye out the corner of his own, halfway through the threshold... all that was left to do... was save Ashley.

He remembered Ashley on her rescue:

How scared she was as a "little girl."

She desperately attacked him at first...

not knowing who he was...

...not knowing what he was...

...just like earlier tonight.

Both Leon and Ashley had technically been infected before, though by a parasite rather than what virus is derived of it. He was scarred at what else could be done with people now that infection could be manipulated and dispersed so easily...

...

Suddenly, Leon wasn't feeling to good. At least the pain meant he was still human... he thought.

Things began to spin as his mutated hand leaned against the wall.

"Leon!?" Ashley cried out, not in fear like she use to but in concern.

**ssss**

As Leon slid his down the side of the wall colapsing, the sound and smell of a sort of acid could be heard and smelled respectfully. His hand was doing all this!?

No, this was something else...

...something even worse that what the C-Virus could be doing to him right now, despite how it seemed to tear apart people's lives...

He remembered Helena;

He remembered the day in Tall Oaks the virus first became airborne... the C-virus...

...all of those people... ...worse than dead.

All because Helena was forced to breach security for her kidnapped sister, just for Debora to transform worse than all others.

He remembered Adam Benford... the last president... whom was gunned down as a zombie by someone he valued most as a friend... Leon.

Not only would the knowledge of Umbrella and Raccoon City be public now, but there would be no small party here at Camp David for the replacement six months ago. An infection would not be here, trapping, killing and changing everyone around him.

Leon lost track of time as Ashley checked his body... his muscles...

She had always wanted to feel them, but oh God! Not like this! Never like this!

Ashley gasped at the real culprate behind Leon's sudden anguish.

Some kind of resedue could be felt on his skin. It reaked of poison even worse than corroding metal on the wall! Ashley instantly thought of the Cobra Hunter they fought earlier.

Normally, this would be okay, seeing it wasn't injested or forced into his blood through biting. (Ashley had been studying up on her biology, figuring she may as well learn what it SHOULD be like not that she had seen what it shouldn't ever do, unless tampered with by mankind. Plus, her dad enjoyed the wilderness (how ironic she would be trapped in rural Europe), and since her abduction she had also asked him more about how to survive on her own and such tasts. Making fire, hunting, gathering, treating injuries... Cuts!)

Ashley's mind flashed back to when they dove into the control room. The scratch!

Claw marks had just grazed Leon's arm... his human arm...

This poison seemed different that what Leon was injexted with similar to the Cobra.

This was more "natural." Only bow it oozed from the creatures very skin. Would direct contact via a bite do this to her? Or would she begin to transform like Leon? She shuddered at what the real venom from its' fangs could do.

Leon shuddered also, but his was a sort of shake caused by chemically-induced shock!

"LEON!" She yelled out to him. He could only hear her like an echo... deep inside his own mind.

**Swish**

Ashley rolled over, moving just barely out of the claw flailing around as Leon... her hero... seung at her, almost in a trance!

"oh God..." Ashley sobbed.

She drew her gun.

"no..." Leon wabbles closer to her. "Not like this..."

"ssss" Was Leon hissing!? LIKE A SNAKE!?

"Ssssyyyyy" Or just mutteing giberish from his current state.

"Ruuuuu" It was like Leon was studdering from the cold he felt of going numb, like that poor cook Pierre. Only this wasn't thermal. It was internal.

"Sssss...ruuuuu" Did Leon want her to run? No she couldn't. She couldn't just leave him to suffer. He needed help! He needed... relief... he deserved for the pain to stop.

...even if it meant in the form of a bullet... she owed him that much.

Plus, she couldn't leave the room before she released all the door locks!

"Sssss...ruuu...ruuuuum!" No! Ashley would not leave Leon! Wait, did he say rum!? A last drink? Or alcohol for the cut!? No, there was something more...

"syyyyyy...rumm" Of course! Ashley got what Leon was saying, cringing and twitching in front of her. Was this him fighting the infection? Or wouls it only make it spread faster!?

"Oh, who cares what it is!?" Ashley yelled at herself mentally "He needs help!"

Ashley knew what she had to. There was no medkit of any kind besides normal First Aid Spray lying around, but ahe knew where to find what ahe really needed! On a keyrack in the room was a way into the small but advanced infirmary there... and Leon's salvation! Albiet a temporary one.

Ashley nodded at Leon, possibly seeing him for the last time, and ran for it! Dodging another swing from Leon... she raced out the mechanical door

...almost forgetting the festering zombie on the other side!

She dove out of the way... but it fell through the threshold of the closing doors!

**Crunch**

Ashley looked back for only a second, but it was enough to make her wanna puke! She was about to be sick after seeing the severed torso of the corpse...

...but Leon was the one who was sick! SHE HAD TO HURRY!

She raced around the hallway, cautious, but as fast as she could make herself go... trying to remember the one toom she knew o in the house she had been "lucky" enough to never have to be in before tonight.

"God," Ashley thought "Where's Hunnigan's voice when you need her!?"

...

Leon remembered Hunnigan.

She would be such a big help right now, trying to use the system to release the security and free Ashley and himself before a firebombing would most likely come and wipe them out. He sure could use someone else watching over him...

**uuuuuaaaaah**

That moan wasn't coming from Leon or Ashley. Leon was leaning with his back on the wall again sitting in a cold sweat from the poison... as he watched something crawl towards him... leaving a bloody trail behind.

Leon grunted in pain, straining his body to no avail...

LEON COULDN'T MOVE!

**next time on Resident Evil: Illumination**

"CAN THIS DAY GET ANY WORSE!?" Ashley cried out in vain.

**Beep!** "Self-destruct system has been activated. All personel evacuate immediately." **Beep**

**8/**


	16. 1-7b: The Venom (Part Two)

Guys, in this, the latest chapter in my Illumination sage, I make reference to a theme I call the double-edged sword. This can summarize the contents of both this chapter in a nutshell...as well as the experience I had writing it.

The main reason in particular this chapter was so hard for me to write was because I had finally gotten Ashley's part down perfectly before and woven into Leon's "acid trip." (Lol) ...and then somehow I lost it. :(

Don't worry; this nee material is now in a different file placement, so it wouldn't happen again. I'd like to think I learn from my mistakes. Don't we all... Or wouldn't all of us like to believe that anyway. That our struggles, efforts an even our successes are not in vein.

Hopefully this does not fall on deaf ears... or rather an audience that is no longer with me. :(

Anyway, here's where my theme comes into play: I wanted to hurry up an write the next chapter and say the heck with Ashley's part, but I wanted the quality to be there still.

So, for those of you still with me, first of all: thank you. It's all because of your interest that I still do this. And secondly, I am so very sorry for the long wait. Times have been very stressful for me, and I had to rely on inspiration striking me and taking advantage of it at the most random and inconvenient times... In this case 4 in the morning before clean-up week at my town.

I try not to be greedy, but it would mean a whole lot to me if we could at least get the total number of views to 3,000. That way I know you guys are still with me and hopefully new viewers will come and the old ones will return.

That being said, the best way you all can help encourage me to continue is to **COMMENT AND FOLLOW**. It really means everything to all writers. Trust me.

Anyway, lastly I thought I would go ahead and say that I DO NOT OWN RESIDENT EVIL... because that's what everybody else on here with a blog seems to do. Bot sure f I have to or bot to get views, but I may as well. Capcom still does, but at least things are starting to pick up again with it.

Well, enough from me! You have waited a long time for this; so have I. Let's finally after a log hiatus get back to Resident Evil: Illumination withe the (hopefully) very highly-awaited sequel to the last chapter:

…

**The Venom - Part 2!**

…

Things are always more complex in real life than they are in fiction. To anyone watching that could see her now, Ashley Graham would have one thing on her mind and one thing she was doing: saving Leon.

How?

Well, since the events of Raccoon City, government buildings such as Camp David have been outfitted with countermeasures to acts of bioterrorism. When this horrible outbreak first began, Leon were the only two survivors that were able to take shelter in the Panic Room. There, Leon and herself found everything from first aid spray an even advanced gas masks similar to those confiscated from Umbrella. Among several other items, there was one in particular.

This was no mere simple medicine or vaccine; this was arguably literally another strain altogether... Meant to be used only on a life or death situation to ensure the survival of the President or another in a high position of power.

It would spare their lives at least temporarily, but at a terrible cost: essentially ones virtual humanity...

...this was an anti-virus!

Leon explained this once before to Ashley, and it was burning in her mind as she raced through hell, once said by her dad to her when he first took office to be the safest place she could be, to save his life.

Just like many had before...

...

Leon remembered Ada: the one thing he literally could not live without, despite everything that has happened between them. Even despite what has not.

Was he even a friend to her?

Was he less? Was he more?

Now more than ever in the end, it doesn't even matter, but Leon would never know.

All Leon knew was he would not be alive today if it weren't for Ada Wong.

...if that even was her real name.

...at least he got to know her for who she really was deep down. She was there with him... briefly... one last time...

...even if she didn't actually see him.

Could she?

Suddenly, things got blurry...er... He literally seemed to forget literally around him. And yet it almost seemed the same. It was still a monitoring room, but all the screens were huge and he could see her!

_She walked up to him in the parking garage..._

Leon heard movement behind him.

_She had a gun to his back in the castle..._

He couldn't bring himself to react.

_She was kissing him in the Umbrella Headquarters..._

Leon heard it coming closer.

_She had a gun to his head on the island..._

He heard a faint moan

_She was running after Claire in a hallway..._

He could see a blood-trail in the mirror.

_She was being chased by Helena and Himself._

"no..." he said to himself "...that wasn't her...that couldn't be...

**AREAUUR!**

"...could it?"

**BANG!**

Leon turned back to the half of a zombie on the floor, still there from before.

He didn't shoot him. Did he? Who did? It was a perfect headshot.

He turned back to the screen.

Ada was pointing a gun towards that direction in all of them.

One picture he didn't recognize, with someone in the corner...

"Pff." Leon snickered to himself. How many times had she probably been there watching him, monitoring Leon without him knowing.

Leon pretended to wave in the corner of the room, figuring that somehow the odds were she was probably watching.

At least Ashley didn't see it. She would surely think he was loosing his mind...

...which he basically was...

...wouldn't be long now, would it?

Plus, he could not use his "bad hand" to wave.

God, even of he did retain control of the virus and escape, what difference would it make? Would he even be able to evacuate? Or would the Secret Service neutralize him as a threat on the spot?

He couldn't blame them if they did... but could Ashley?

Even if he could come home and be tested like poor Sherry Birkin, would he be able to ever see the light of day again?

How would that mess with Ashley's...

Oh god...

...

Ashley raced through the hallways as fast as carefully as she could...as fast as she could.

It was a double-edge sword really:

If she ran too recklessly, she was sure to be met by a wandering zombie with a bite to the neck. It would all be over and Leon would die.

If she moved to slowly due to caution, the poison in Leon's veins would surely kill him...or worse. She would surely be doomed without him. Ashley would be trapped; it would be over, and Leon would die.

"Damned if I do..." Ashley told herself around a sharp corner. A zombie was waiting for her!

Quickly, Ashley flung herself backwards, drawing Leon's knife like something from a slow-no scene in a movie and quickly sliced through rotting consumed flesh that was the decaying monstrosity's throat and its' contents, letting the bitten pieces of another man fall to floor to make way for a new corpse.

"...and damned if i don't." She finished her thought, breathing heavily as time seemed to have blurred and things went back to normal.

As normal as it would ever get...

…

Leon remembered Sherry Birkin, the little girl infected by her own father, a researcher at Umbrella in monster form. He was with her when they were rescued. He couldn't see her. He had no idea what happened to her for the longest time.

Would that happen with him and Ashley be his own Leon? Worrying about him all the time!?

Would... they be crazy enough to force him into a life like he had? Just to save another and get infected herself? Would this damn cycle keep going of meeting new people and dragging them into this, doing the same and ruining their lives and others from this damn virus!?

Could he "live" like that? Would he really be "helping" others with the research done by staying alive? Or would a body-bag and a cadaver be safer in the long run than a testube and a heavily-sedated mutant.

What would his friends think if he caused all of this? If he WAS all of this? If he was indeed practically the personification of what the viruses will do to your life?

Was any of it all worth it?

Sherry looked to young in some videos. Others she was much more mature.

Still, they all look about the same. Blurry, like distant memories. But real.

...

Ashley lunged for the metal door with zombies and one of these new Hunters right on her tail.

"Dammit'l she cursed. "It won't budge."

There was no other option right now. No time for random scavenger hunting ad going after keys like a puzzle or rpg game.

Ashley slammed into the door with all her might. It wouldn't move an inch.

She counted down any trie again, this time it went slightly ajar.

Her pursuers were rounding the corner now, blocking her escape. No turning back now!

She breathed calmly and collected herself, "On three" Ashley said reassuringly, able to feel the cold bodies moving towards her, gunning for her life and hungering for her flesh.

"One..." She charged lightly, getting into the motion and leaning into the door. She noticed a crack forming.

"Areaaaaoooouu" she could smell them.

"TWO..." She gave her body a forceful shove at the threshold. The crack busted!

If the undead could breath, she would have surely felt it on her skin by now. They were in arms reach!

"THREE!"

Time seemed to slow again. Ashley felt the dirty fingertips of death just graze her hair as she busted through the wooden doorway!

...with another undead waiting for her on the other side!

She leaned back in reflex, screaming as she felt her body rub against the undead horde.

One bit at her arm! The dress was now torn and stained with blood. She composed herself and forced the remains of the door back upright into the threshold.

Have you ever felt someone move next to you? Someone opening their mouth beside your head to prepare to speak? Ashley felt a creek in the floorboard as well as the zombie's partially unhinged jaw as she turned to kick her assailant back.

She fell backwards against the door, drawing her knife and gun on the ground.

"Asta luigis." She tried to speak triumphantly in Spanish like some goofy action hero...

**Click**

…

...he remembered Claire:

_She was looking toward him in the Raccoon Diner, scarred with a gun pointed toward her. Leon's handgun._

If it weren't for Ada, she may very well had been the girl for him. Now she never would after all Ada has done, directly or not.

_She was looking toward him in a dark airport hallway, scarred with a light being shown on her. Leons._

Still, she would always be his friend, a promise two made each other long ago, in a small little town, on his first day as a cop.

She was looking towards him, in some kind of lab, scarred with a gun pointed at her. It wasn't Leon's.

If you would have told Leon twenty years ago he would be a ragtag action survival hero, the last cop in a city filled with undead and saving multiple beautiful girls, he would have actually thought it was fun.

...it wasn't. Seeing people die... change...

And the responsibility... he wouldn't ask that on his worst enemy...

…

It was only now as she watched death itself slowly crawl towards her, teetering on it's worn shoes a grabbing for air as it fell down, that Ashley realized she could have tried shooting the door to make it easier to break into the medical room. Grant it, she would have failed with no ammo, but at least she would have realized she was out before diving into the room inches from his hungry zombie.

It was obviously a medical personnel dressed up and on duty for the party, probably infected before the dead back and barricading himself in. His black dress-shoes were bow stained in blood like his brown pants. (Once upon a time she would have fount that a funny joke...) And don't get her started on the white shirt and lab-coat leading up to his pail white akin and black hair.

My, how bad it felt in hindsight, watching a moving corpse come inch by inch towards you.

What would Leon think?

What would her dad think?

Would the be proud?

Surprised Ashley made it as far a she did.

Disappointed in their that she couldn't make it all the way after all this time.

Tears began to leak from her eyes daintily as se tuned away in fear and defeat, waiting from grave-rotten teeth to pierce her neck and end it all...

**Crash**

…

He remembered Krauser:

_A large spear was being launched at him._

Once a great man in service to his country.

_He was collapsing on a wooden bridge tower. His heart had exploded._

Now he was just another person consumed by Umbrella.

"no..."

To think after everything, he actually wanted to bring it back.

Was it all really just for power?

"No."

For more mutations? For his... arm...?

"NO!"

Leon took one last look at his arm...

...to think he would die much like Krauser did. A mutant. A monster. An abomination.

"NOOOOO!"

Leon could only pray that he would die soon enough that it would be as a human.

...but if it meant keeping ANYONE safe, he would let it happen.

He slammed his hand onto the computer below the monitors and just kept yelling, trying to get them all to stop.

Could that really be how so many got wrapped up in Bio Organic Weapons?

Did every bad guy once think he was actually doing the right thin for everyone and not just himself? Another mystery...

All of the screens began to change back. Leon passed out.

...

A loud sound tore Ashley from the aright of her life flashing before her eyes.

The zombie seemed to have lost a foot... to the floorboard!

"The loose floor board!" Ashley thought. The one she would hop up and down in as a kid they never seemed to fix. It had saved her life!

Quickly she rose to her feat with scraped hands and leapt over. She turns to smile at her mimi-victory...

But saw multiple hands breaking through the cracks in the door, as well as the sound of a serpent moving slowly toward her location from the outside, bo doubt drawn to the loud noised the zombies and herself were making.

She was trapped...

She had no ammo...

Leon was slowly dying...

Her other friends and loved ones were all dead or turned.

"Can this day get any worse!?" Ashley yelled out to no one in particular.

**Beep** Self-destruct system has been activated. All personnel evacuate immediately. **Beep**

The look on Ashley's face, in the darkest of moments, twitching like she heard the lamest hoke ever... priceless...

"OH COME ON!" She yelled "WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE A SELF-DESTRUCT SYSTEM!"

**Crack!**

That question would have to wait, seeing as a large gash with red blood from the walking dead had splattered Ashley through the door, the had no doubt belonging to one of those damn lizards!

Frantically, she searched for a syringe to inject the anti-virus from the Panic Room that would save Leon.

...

"Leon..." Ashley shook him out of his daze.

"Wha?" He groaned. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" she asked. "You passed out and collapsed back against the wall after fighting that monster.

"Oh..." He pretended to understand. "Yeah. Hey, where's Ada? And Claire?"

"I..." Ashley was puzzled "i wish we knew." They hadn't seen any sign of them since the attack.

"Whadya mean?" Leon asked groggily, almost as if he was drunk. "They were just right there." He pointed over towards the monitors.

Suddenly, he began to realize just how crazy he sounded. "I...I'm sorry Ashley."

"Hey," she smiled, grabbing his normal arm. "It's alright."

Leon started back and realized how far she had come.

"I got the green keycard." She beamed, flashing it with her new med-kit at her side.

"Great," Leon replied confidently as he got to his feet... with a little bit of help "Ready?"

…

So that's what all of those month have produced. It's sad in that respect, but hey: it's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I am proud enough for myself being so down and for all of the work, yet for getting it done in itself anyway.

Hopefully, you guys will be proud too.


	17. 1-8: The Escape

**The following chapter is not yet finished completely. There are still some final parts that I wish to add, plus there are many more chapters of parts still to come, including my OC, Claire's reappearance, and the flashback of Steve's rescue!**

**That being said, it is not fair to you, those few remakning fans I may or may not have (for obvious reasons) to keep waiting months on end for more cobtent and expecting such little results. Therefore, I will publish here what I have finalized and hopefully you will stay tuned for future chapters. **

**Until then...**

**1-8: The Escape**

Leon and Ashley sprinted to the doorway to their salvation. As the structure began to crumble around them, the stairs beneath them suddenly began to give way as they reached the bottom.

"Gah!" Ashley cried out leaping forward and clearing the gap, grabbing Leon's hand for life as he pulled her up with his "good" arm to his embrace.

"Even now..." Ashley thought with emotional tears in her eyes, although they were minutes away from certain doom in the last place anyone would have suspected, Leon kept her safe.

"Graaaa!"

Ashley's tender moment with her savior was shot lived however. Grant it, she had saved his life too with the anti-virus.

...or at least she hoped.

In the large burning loving room of the Camp David she had once known and loved, this destruction of furniture and pit of zombies, her loved ones and friends, was all that separated Ashley and Leon from the exit, still locked with a green card.

All of the reflex training was boiling over him as Leon's reflexes were on par with a professional athlete, using his mutated arm like a third leg at times while at others shoving the enemy out of the way, pulling his protectee along with his other since there was no ammo left in his gun anyway.

Ashley held on for her life, but eventually lost her grip as Leon reached the exit. Se tossed him the keycard as he called out for her to look out behind her. All in that same instant, as she spun back around with the greatest of eaae and grace, she swung her arm wide just under the neck of an enraged burning corpse. Partially punching its' chin, the main damage was with Leon's knife slitting the throat of her undead assailant.

Leon couldn't help but smile at how far she had come, swiping the card to unlock all safety locks on the metal doors.

... And piercing the heart of a lunging zombie with his bare hand!

The adrenaline...

...the power behind the arm...

It was amazing...

"...Leon?"

...it was exhilarating...

"Leon!"

Addicting...

"Hu?" Leon was shoved into the wall and was about to crush a skull when...

"Eii!" Ashley squealed inside of his grip, the other fist inches away from punching her head clean off with his slimy claw.

Leon stared, glaring into those scared eyes, of the person he was suppose to be protecting... then in total remorse as he saw what she had pushed hum away from. The security override was a success, but they would need to run for another exit, as this one had just been pinned with debris.

Just like Leon would have bern if Ashley hadn't saved him... again...

Leon was too lost in thought and sorrow to see Ashley thinking on her feet, now free of his nearly horrifying grip. "The pool!"

Now it was Ashley yanking a befuddled Leon along back through the living room to now what was considered the entrance of the kitchen alongside a log dining room table... where the dead looked up from their meals.

Turning the other way to run for the screen, the large abomination from before burst from within the confines of its' frozen prizon.

Even Ashley was now again frozen with fear, as the behemoth blocked their last chance at a means of escape.

The chef was back!

"No." Leon said. Quiet but yet firm. Not A cry of sorrowful deffeat or despiration, but rather that of defiance.

As Ashley managed to pull of some more impressive footwork herself (all in heels mind you for fear of stepping onto something hazardous) to dodge and make her way through the final zombies by countering their lunges at her warm flesh, Leon began a slow and determined but wildly continued to run forward, leaping up and punching the beast down onto the collapsing table, soon after covered with the ceiling colapsing and fallen debris.

Leon wanted to call out in triumph "i am a man."

But... he wasn't. Not anymore.

As the rest of the building finally began to give way, Leon and Ashley dove through the glass door into the pool, submerging as flames engulfed the surface.

Leon broke the water's surface first, and his face was instantly engulfed in the massive heat coming from the burning complex they had just escaped certain death from.

Or so Leon hoped...

Suddenly, he realized what was missing! Deja vu struck again as he called out for Ashley in the water, albiet this time there was no jet ski... or any real escape plan or vehicle for that matter Leon could see, nor was there a bright sun and rainbow like before either. Everything around was doom and gloom. The pitch black empty land around them gave a feeling of isolation and hopelessness, while the sight of Camp David burning all those dead bodies emitted a sense of sorrow and nausea.

"Maybe its' best..." Leon thought "...that she died now... rather than be bombarded by the government contingency, starve to death, turn, or at the very least be quarantined for the foreseeable future until they figured out what new strain of the C-Virus this was that seemed to ignore all immunities and cures discovered.

Especially Leon. This was the second time he had been directly infected by a virus, but instead of a parasite restricting him, he felt no limits, no pain... and that scared him far more.

Oh,'and his arm had mutated into a purple monstrosity. He'd be amputated if not terminated or studied for...

HIS ARM!

The dark color of the water he now realized was not from the night sky but rather an oily chemical emitting from his skin there where he was infected!

Worse, Ashley had just surfaced from the water and was now dangerously close to the pollute water! She was unconscious and seemed to not be breathing.

Leon quickly wrapped his ruined blazer around the tainted arm. Taking Ashley in the other hand, he struggled to swim to the edge without using either of his hands for fear hiding Ashley in the mutated hand would be worse than drowning at this point.

Leon soon realized that he could now stand up and struggled to what was left of the dock. He laid her down and cleared her airway as best he could, literally with one hand tied behind his back as he attempted to revive her.

Struggling to perform CPR on her chest with just one knuckle, he was doing his best to hope and pray for her safety. Even at the cost of his own life, which by now may already be essentially over.

Leon had gotten lucky time and time again. This had been a real asset to himself and the people around him. He was strong! He was reliable! He was... tired. Exhausted. He could never back away; his own sense of honor and duty would not allow that. He often considered the posibility that if he ever became infecte what he may have to do to himself to prevent the plague from spreading to innocent people. Maybe this was just what he needed. A godsend. An excuse to end it all...

But first things first. As much as he didn't want to do what he felt he must around a conscious Ashley, he would rather her be traumatized, as painful as it sounded in his head, than dead. Ashley was a survivor much like he was, but had learned so much and grown so strong and independent since Europe.

She could have her while life ahead of her! He couldn't...

"If this doesn't wake her up," Leon said to himself jokingly

"Nothing will." The reality of the situation began to sink in again at those words.

After several compressions between her breasts, Leon finally did what Ashle had been dreaming of since after they met.

He lowered his lips to hers and blew...

...nothing...

"C'mon Ashley..." Leon grunted as he pressed down several more times.

Please let this just be a dream...

A prank to make him kiss her...

Anything but...

**cough cough**

Water sputtered from Ashley's mouth. "Ashley!" Leon quickly turned her onto her side to let the liquid out.

Eventually, she rose to her feet, getting a pat on the back to get whatever might have been left out. (Leon used his normal hand of course, out of an all to realistic possibility that for all he knew and could control it could pierce right trough her spine on accident.

"You okay," Leon asked, almost paternally.

Silence...

"Yeah," she finally replied "I'm fine. Thanks Leon. Again."

"As always," she continued "for saving my life."

Leon chuckled, to Ashley's puzzlement, despite the levity it provided for the mood.

"I could say the same thing right back at you too," he finished.

This meant the world to Ashley... despite all that happened.

Leon and Ashley leaned on each other, bettered and beaten, as well as soaking wet. Both water and blood dripped from their ragly bodies (not all of it their own.)

Something else seemed to be oozing out of Leon. It was dark and gave off a feeling that it could repel all life around him away if he left unchecked. Ashley could feel it to.

It was anger!

Anger over friends still in Camp David.

Anger because of the events in Raccoon City, as well as viral outbreaks and epidemics all over the world. Anger for those like Ashley and himself whom had suffered and been in a state of constant fear and paranoia. This was now personal!

For Leon, he no longer wanted justice, closure or to move on: he wanted revenge!

No fear.

No pain.

Just Anger.

Fear...

That's all poor Ashley could really feel now. Not the uncertainty of her life, but rather that of the future. Was there still a future left? After all this time, despite all of the training she had endured to better herself, her closest family and friends were now being cremated, neither alive or dead, nor were they given a choice in the matter.

They were murdered...

No, theirs was a fate worse than death.

...and Leon was going to make them pay for it, no matter how he did it, no matter who it was, and no matter what the cost.

Ashley could feel how tense yet firm at the same time Leon's grip was on her as they limped desperately to safety alone in these infested, burning and dark woodlands that once housed a home away from home to her as the presidents' daughter, now a wasteland that reeked with a touch of death.

His grip felt like it would attack whatever movement... whatever motion... that dared to cross their path with the strength and impact that of which the likes of could shatter boulders. (The non-mutated arm!)

By some miracle... No... that word just simply didn't fit in here in this life anymore.

By a strange fluke or twist of fate, one of the only cars still intact was Leon's Jeep.

As they leaned on each other limping towards their salvation, Leon also realized that his keys had remained in his pocket this whole time! Nonchalantly, he pulled them out and pressed the button to unlock their means home, like this was all just another bad day at the office in which after a hard day's work was now finally over...

It wasn't

Not by a long shot!

In fact, pressing that remote may seal their doom!

*boop!*

Ashley swiftly leaned up from her moment of sadness and weeping for the loss of her lived ones, exiting her trance at the surprise noise of a car. She wasn't the only one!

Out of the flaming debris and rubble came four Kobra Hunters! The eyes on the bak f their head now leaned forward (looking up) towards Leon and Ashley just enough to see them from atop their shoulders. Fangs and claws extended and rattles echoed to the hissing of their muscular bodies in the night!

Leon as Ashley stood motionless, turned in their direction now, in realization of what now was likely about to finally happen: their deaths.

Their hands were still intertwined.

It was literally now or never for Ashley to say it.

"Leon," she began in a feminine gasp of desire and exhaustion. "I..."

Leon motioned with his finger across her lips.

"Yeah, I know..."

As their killers bent leaning down to leap and strike, Leon and Ashley began accepted their sealed fate with a kiss of death.

*woooooooBOOOOM!*

Their faces separated inches apart of contact. A missile had just struck the building, likely as faster insurance to prevent a viral outbreak before the carpet bombing Leon predicted.

Yet, if there was any miracle to all this, at least not all of government had been together publicly for this inaugural party, only those closest to the once Vice President. Now President, if he survived.

Oh, and they had been saved at the last second.

Unfortunately, their celebration of Ashley leaping up in joy, arms in the air with Leon's fingers still intwined with hers and going bold after this all by kissing his cheek, movement began to come again the remains of Camp David below.

"Where are they all coming from!?" Ashley yelped in horror.

"Let's go Ash!"

Leon drove like a bat out of hell (quite fitting) to reach the emergency coordinates nearby for their extraction. If anyone else had survived, they would likely be heading to a private runway nearby, recently installed for none other than Air Force One.

Ashley panicked as she could see purple hunters on all fours in a dead sprint towards them!

Not thinking clearly and putting down the car window, Ashley retrieved her gun and shot behind them at pursuers.

"Aim for the kneecap!" Leon yelled, smashing trough his own windshield as one leaped up in front of them cutting them off. He went to shatter the side door to get a better shot... only to lnoxk the door off its' hinges in adrenaline with his own purple arm, hitting an enemy on their left flanking them with the launched door.

"Always wanted a Jeep without the doors."

This joke was just enough for Ashley to smooth things out and take away from the stress in this now surprisingly normal sort o situation. With her nerves cooled off, she easily hit the right leg of the one in front of the pack, causing the rest to be tripped up behind.

Leon shot the blocking lizard in its' side, making it leap to the other in reflex and for the Jeep to zoom right on by it, but not before a raging Leon ripped its' exposed heart from its' exposed chest.

Leon turned facing Ashley briefly, nodding to show his praise. She was facing him smiling with running mascara, ruined hair, busted dress shoes and a dress soaked with blood and grit, a gun in her right hand and smiling.

Happy, she had never looked so much better!

There was another face quickly approaching though too!

Ashley squealed when the other door was torn clean off and the giant snake head leaned in to bite her neck. Time seemed to slow down as Leon detached his seatbelt, swerved the car towards the beast and delivered a powerful kick with the momentum concentrated into his right leg.

Leon was able to bounce right back from the momentum's equal and opposite reaction of the foot hitting the body hitting a tree close behind it, but the car had now been headed directly for its' own tree!

As the airbags deployed, Leon's exposed leg pierced the front windshield, now caught in the glass with him yelling in pain, watching Ashley scream at the top of her lungs from pointing and now being forces back with her own air bag to the side of her face!

Leon forced his leg out from its shackle, but could no longer put any pressure on either foot to drive.

"You O.K. AshlAAAGH!"

"Here," she insisted, leaning over to help "Give it up and let me take the wheel.

I'll drive you shoot...and shift."

As they recovered, Leon put it in reverse for Ashley, who leaned behind with her arm on Leon's headrest and her chest in his face. "Ahh!" She pointed at the horrific sight of four or five Hunters closing in the distance on them with speeds unheard of.

As Leon prepared to shoot with his roght hand and shift with the left, he felt the acidic substance pour from his arm like sweat. So in a crazy position, Leon shifted with his right hand in the passenger seat and could smell the metal of the gun corroding away as e shot with his right.

Bot thinking clearly, Ashley saw another Hunter on the side of the windshield atill intact "Leon, do you mind if I..."

*smashhhhh*

*Bang!*

"...thanks."

Leon tossed the gun away, splattering in the face of a hunter with a silver splash. Just as he asked for Ashley's, his radio picked up a call "...repeat, is their anyone else out there, this is your final chance to evacuate before we take off!"

In a desperate attempt, Ashley grabbed the mic from the consul and held it out to Leon with one hand while shooting with the other extra pistol Leon kept in the glove box and steering with one foot with the petal to the floor.

Now out of bullets with at least six hostiles directly behind them, Leon jumped into the backseat with the car steady in third gear.

Like a real secret agent, he ducktaped some cleaner inside his car into the carying compartment in the back door, covered it with some of his new arm slime for good measure, tossed the cigarette lighter into the crevice and shoved with all his might!

The door collided into the already charred mutant survivors and ignited into a ball of fire, stoping them finally dead in their tracks!

From the plane entrance, nothing could be seen for miles but flames. Finally, they got the mandatory call to take off.

"That's it, we're out of time. Let's go!"

As the door was pulled in, the watchman saw out of the corner of his eye a humanoid shape leaning on another, too organized for zombies. "Look!"

A brave young girl in a ruined party dress was lifting a man over her shoulder by his arm, the other wrapped around his suit jacket like a cast and sling!

Agents on the runway escorted Mrs. Graham and Agent Kennedy were escorted and carried onboard the plane.

...

Just as they passed the stairs, if someone were beneath them as they flew off, they could see a sort of purple tumor-looking egg attached under the wing.


	18. 1-9: The Crash

Leon came to on Air For One. He knee it blind after so many tearms of service with the government. It was truly a flying royal castle. As he went to move, he felt the effects of all the blood loss coming back to him, as well as felt something holding his right arm back...

...Ashley.. .

She was asleep in his wingspan, still dirty from the night's catastrophy with wet hair, ruined makeup and blood over her gown.

She had never looked more beautiful to him!

He could still remember days after their return home from that fateful rescue years ago.

As she leaned up against him, he felt his arm go to sleep. The pressue on it was making it feel numb and even...turn... purple

His arm!

A cold sweat of fear, not just for himself but for those around him sent a shiver down his spine. He slowly looked to his left, afraid to even look, in case it triggered something or began flailing uncontrollably.  
Or... attacked others...

He peeked over it with a big gulp of air and saw that his suit jacket was used as a makeshift sling. Ashley did a good job...

"Dammit Ashley," hebmuttered to himself in silence. SHE was the one suppose to get out alive. Not him. Not this... thing.

It felt numb... like nothing... but that's what bothered him. If he unraveled it...

"Agent Kennedy?" A voice called over to him. He nearly jumped out of his chair and might have risked flailing his cursed limb around, had it not been for Ashley having weight on him. Even while asleep, she, of all people, was still being his rock.

"Y-yeah?" He responded, both groggy and nervous at what happens next.

"I know you've been through a lot, but we really need to get that injury looked at now." She pointed at the makeshift sling.

Leon cringed backwards, stirring Ashley in her slumber and nearly waking her. No... she couldn't see this.

"Can..." He began "can you even do it onboard right now?"

"Most of the other secret service members onboard are trained in first aid." She replied "despite being... short handed... It's best we do so before risking infection."

Leon nearly laughed at the unintended puns in her sentence, but cringed again when she reached for it. He felt it move, saw it do so... on its' own.

"Just, let me go yo the bathroom first, ok?" He asked sincerely, checking what was still on his person, besides Ashley, and gently moved her back.

...wispering his final goodbyes to her...

...he knew what he must do...

"Bye Ashley."

...

Ashley slid down a bit, no longer having Leon for her support... she awoke looking around franticly.

A staff member onboard was able to calm her down.

"Where is Le..." she began to ask "where's Agent Kennedy?"

"He left a few moments ago for the bathroom." was the reply. "He's going to receive medical downstairs after that."

"...wha!?" Ashley started to panic.

"It's O.K. Mrs. Graham." She was reassured "It's all just routine procedure. There was no signs of a virus on anyone brought aboard."

"Really?" She asked, sounding rather dumb in heinsight "o-oh! Uh...ok!"

"Here," the attendant offered, giving her a blanket. "Let me get your personal things from below deck."

"Th-thank you."

...

Leon entered the bathroom where he got a good look at himself for the first time since after the incident. He looked bad... worse... than he ever had before.

Was it just the infection? ...age?

It had nearly been over 15 years since Racoon City. Sure it was hell and he did not escape unscathed. But... not like this... never like this.

It wasn't just the arm; he was certain. Leon was growing older... more vulnerable... a liability now in more ways than one.

The arm... made him feel young again there. Maybe if he... NO!

...

Ashley felt a sense of normal life return to her as she checked her emails on her laptop. The stewardess had brought up her backpack with everything Ashley had packed earlier in anticipation of staying... one last night... at Camp David.

Ashley tried tuning everything out from this night and focused on messages and normal 29 year old girl stuff.

Suddenly, a video message icon came up.

"Hmm," Ashley thought "its' address is one I don't recognize."

Ashley chrcjed atound, looking left and right for any signs that her network onboard could be compromised.

Then, with a few tips and tricks frrom Leon and others over the years, she rechecked her firewall on the secure network.

Nervously, she clicked "answer."

"Hello, Ashley!?"

"CLAIRE!"

...

He nearly slammed the sink with his hands, but only one hit. The other squirmed in its' little cell, like a boa constrictor in a bag! Ugh, giant cobras again!

...those cobras... the Hunters from the camp. The skin was a direct match to his arm now! Would he... become one of them? How much time left did he have?

He peaked inside at the angry beast... and saw it was reaching up to his elbow now!  
Somehow the quick thinking of tying it off earlier paid off. But would it last? Could he control it? ...was it worth the risk...?

Leon cried. Yes, he couldn't believe it. But now with the adrenaline gone, everything was finally starting to sink in... Leon had to die.

...

"How did you escape!?' Ashley blurted out quickly. "Is... anyone else still alive with you?"

"I'm fine, don't worry." She saw Claire respond with a confident look that she was known for once upon a time... before reality took its' toll... "Just, listen, this is rally important! Where's Leon"

...

Sure he'd been infected before, but the parasite took longer to mature and was able to be destroyed by a known method. This... there was no cure for this... whatever it was.

The needles on the ground that caused this at the time matched the description of the "Bio Ball" in Chris Redfield's report back in Edonia. Also, the gas that turned everyone else was seemingly just like the C-Virus. Only, it was slower... heavier...  
...like it was more... concentrated?

Ugh! He couldn't keep putting this off! As he collapses, sitting onto the toilet seat, he went for his service weapon...

...

"He's in the bathroom." Ashley replied. "He... Leon's been in there for awhile..."

"Shit," cursed Claire.

"...he didn't say." Ashley replied with a smirk.

Claire laughed. The first sincerest laugh she had in years. She was definitely back!

...

Every moment he wasted was a chance for the virus to reach his blood stream or core and take over.

*click*

...

"Tell Leon..."

...

He just...

...

"... that she..."

...

...never thought...

...

"...and I..."

...

...it would end...

...

"...are headed..."

...  
...like this...

...

"to the Pueblo."

...

**Bang!**

...

**AUTHOR: OH YES I DID! OH YES I DID! ...nah, I didn't... OR DID I!?**

**Also, fan service, Claire is back...AND SO AM I!**

**Here's a little teaser to hold you over till I get everything organized for CHAPTER 2: DEJA VU!:**

**(Also, I know there wasn't an actual crash yet. Just go with it.)**

...

He strapped in and crawled with Ashley in his arms, clenching to him in a state of shook. He grunted in pain as his chest began to bleed from his wounds and he struggled to pull free of a winged creature, as he kicked it forward just in time for it to fall through the crack in the roof of the plane and fly off into nothing.

As it descended to crash, Leon just barely should Ashley into a side door compartment, defending her with his gun and knife before handing them to her at the last minute and closing the door before impact, shielding her with his body on the door as more BOW's clawed at him before either being "blown away" by him or blowing away out the side of the plane. Finally, he looked ahead as the front of the plane tore away and revealed the woods that they would crash into.

"Good luck, Ashley" he whispered.


	19. Behind the Scenes: Camp David

**Behind the Scenes: Camp David**

**HEY GUYS!**

**So, while I'm busy working on the next set of chapters, I thought I would give you all a little bit of a "Behind the Scenes" info about some of the locations and characters in my story as it goes along. I'd also like it to go hand in hand with one Mercenary character and map next! **

**There were also some questions I would like to answer before I "continue" my Fanfiction, but first right off the bat, let me be perfectly clear: RESIDENT EVIL ILLUMINATION IS NOT DONE YET!**

**Speaking of which, I would also like to do a Q and A of anyone who has or would like to comment... along with my special guest, my story's Leon S. Kennedy!**

**...What? No, I do not own Leon or Capcom. One cannot own someone! ;)**

**So, anyway, without further ado, let's take a look into...**

**Behind the Scenes: Chapter 1 - CAMP DAVID**

**I really wanted something fancier for the big outbreak that occurs, but at the same time I wanted it to make sense as to why everyone is there. So, when President Adam Benford was basically assassinated in (*OMINOUS VOICE*) Resident Evil 6 (spoiler!?), I thought the vice president would end up taking over. Plus, I figured Capcom wouldn't really touch on this, so it was fair game. I'm sure some other things will overlap with what they have planned for the future. ...at least I kind of hope so. If the new RE Movie does well (the digital one... not that film series that goes by the same name for some reason). **

**Anyway, since there wouldn't be much of a celebration per-say for the swearing in, I thought it could be an excuse for a fancy party, like the Inaugural Ball on a smaller scale. **

**So, here we have our reunions!**

**It's been six months after RE6. Also, I haven't given a set date for Claire's meltdown besided being after Revelations 2 and before this (January 2016.)**

**First off though, we have Claire and Ashley meet in person for the first time! I figured a lot of them get in and keep in contact once friends of friends get dragged into these biohazards. So, they've probably talked about their experiences as well as just girl stuff to help cope. Lord knows, with all the $#!+ Claire has gone through, as well as the effect it must've had on her with the dark intro I gave her, she could use it.**

**Slight tangent, since I got asked about it a lot: I wanted to give a bit more expose on my intro to the prequel chapter (chapter 0-0). I wanted a way to set things off and make things grittier for this combination of Code Veronica and RE4. Not only did I not want a complete shootout, but I wanted the story to have real meaning and depth into the horrors. Not just physical but psychological also. (Boy if you knew what I had planned for Claire! MUAHAHAHAHHA!) Anyway, I wanted to remind everyone that this was also about Claire, so she became my victim. **

**Truth be told, there is plenty of things that have happened in the stories to cause her some emotional trauma besides just the horror movie survival. She's been essentially a wanted fugitive to Umbrella, imprisoned, forced into twisted games (lol, double meaning), has no family besides her brother, her brother had his own issues presented in 6, he has completely vanished or been absent for most of the time we hear about them both, he could be killed at any moment, she could even be killed at any moment with her past, and to top it all off, the group TerraSave she helped to build as her own coping mechanism and way to help fight back, was completely sabotaged and destroyed with the members all killed!**

**...really puts things in perspective, doesn't it?**

**Oh, but there are three more points of trauma that are forced into her desperate hopes for love and happiness. Besides Moira almost being murdered and all her other friends and colleagues killed in the most horrific ways possible, she has had three potential love interests.**

**Neil was a fellow supervisor of TerraSave that seemed to get along with Claire well. After everything else that has happened, this may have been a ray of hopeful sunshine as a possible "happily ever after." **

**Neil sold Terra-Save out and mutated into a monster trying to kill her. Despite seeming to have some feelings for her, he was delusional in his methods to try and end bioterrorism and sacrificed everything he knew and loved (if he even loved them).**

**BTW! I have read the comments and have begun to make my responces for the next BEHIND THE SCENED chapter where I shall adress and reply to them publically.**

**First and foremost of which... I UPPDATED THE VERY FIRST CHAPTER!**

**While much of it is the same, you should really REALLY read it if you liked the first one's dark tone but didn't understand why things were so bad.**

**For those of you interested, I shall include the shorter original version here:**

Sirens pierce the air on a misty rainy night. Red and blue lights flash around a set of apartments. Police men surround the premises, unarmed at the moment, but not at ease in the slightest.

A screeching car can be heard in the background. After the door opens and closes, a hulk of a man in green army-like attire trots great with authority. A cop turns around to stop him, but he flashes an I.D. at the man. The officer is suddenly embarrassed and salutes the man with a combination of respect and fear evident in his face.

This badass walking pace continues partway up the stairs outside to the second floor of rooms, but quickly evokes breakneck as the sounds of a woman sobbing and the breaking of glass pierces the night.

The man is suddenly knocking vigorously at the door with arms that suggest he could push boulders with them, let alone break down a door.

"Claire!" The man yells panicked. "Claire, open the goddamn door!"

Inside on a couch near a broken lamp, a panicked redhead sprints up with athleticism and grabs a gun. She reaches over her arm and goes for a knife, knocking over a bottle of whiskey in the process.

"GO! AWAY!" She yells back. "I'm not coming out, and you have NO right to enter here!"

"Claire, don't make me break this door down!"

"Ha!" The girl slurs "maybe a few years ago you could!"

The man bites his tongue. She was definitely drunk, and for a girl like his sister, that meant a TON of alcohol, much more than anyone else. The fear of poisoning crept into the back of his mind.

"Awe, what's wrong Chris!" The female taunts. "Too old to play mommy and daddy anymore, big brother?" She backed away into the bathroom, holding her pistol and blade firm, a special insignia on its' hilt of both.

She quickly falls backwards and lands in the water, hitting her head on the spout.

"CLAIRE!" The man yells. A team of policemen stand near him ready to breach. The man, Chris, holds his arm out to stop one with a battering ram, but nods meekly.

Softly, this Claire reaches behind her head and feels the blood in her hair...

She breaks into giggles...

...and slowly begins laughing like a mad woman...

Chris counts down to three with his fingers and kicks at the door. Swearing the first attempt, he has the threshold down in two more tries.

Chris motions for the team at the door to stay back. Arms drawn in all directions, they slowly begin to hear maniac laughter turn to sobs.

Softly, the gentle giant nears the door of the bathroom, locked on the other side now.

"Claire..." He pleads softly "please...just come on out."

"WHY SHOULD I!?" The shriek startles the guards.

On the other end, a familiar noise rings in Chris' ear... the sound of a gun cocking. It wasn't his own life he was afraid of though. No, this life was far more precious to him.

"Come on..." his sister whispers softly at first. Chris lowers his head solemnly against the door...

"COME ON!" She challenges her older brother with authority, all the demeanor of a life with nothing left to loose...

She holds the firearm against the side of her face, short cut red locks of hair flowing against it in the shadows as the outline of a face and teardrops run against her skin.

In her other hand now rest a bottle of booze connected to her lips.

"Give me a reason to live..."

With a few deep breaths, Claire begins to chug and goes to pull the trigger, a bottle against her lips and a barrel against her head...

"...We found him..."

Clare's eyes go wide and she drops the glass agains the side of the tub, fragments going in all directions against her now pantless legs, eliciting cuts but leaving the woman unphased, by simply through the alcohol but through a tough-as nails past.

"Wh-what...?" Claire holds herself against her black top, her jean jacket against the toilet.

"We found him." Chris repeats in confidence. "Just please open the door and we can talk about it.

Thoughts and voices flood the depressed mind of Claire Redfield.

"Your night in shining... It's more reliable than any person... He may even be able to be revived... I ... I'm glad I met you... I.. I love you... Claire..."

An ear-shattering scream drowns out the multiple shots of her brother's old Samurai Edge. A burst of three shots hit the ceiling as Claire drops her brother's gun in the water and flails around hysteric, ripping her top of and leaving her in nothing but a black bra and underware.

A burst of adrenaline fills "big brother's" bicepts and with his shoulder crashing down into the door he breaks the lock somehow, whether by fate or a miracle.

He beholds his sister, Claire... Once a proud strong Redfield able to survive anything, but after all of this wear and tear a shell of her former self, makeup running down her damp body into the lukewarm and slight red water below.

"Ch-Chris?"

"It's ok Claire... We found him."

Slowly Chris lowers himself towards her and she wraps her arms around him, the closest thing to a father she has had most of her life.

"It's alright now Claire... It's okay...

...we found him.

We found Steve."

**Now that we have all that out of the way, let's talk about the layout of Camp David in my story and how it would function in game as part of story mode... as well as in Mercenaries!**

**Similar to other maps and areas, it has a start and end point (each would be possible spawn points in Mercenaries.) First off is the main living room. While the most spacious area of the place, it does have several chairs, long couches and a glass table that can be used to help or hurt you. It can be very easy to be cornered in such a place, as well as be forced into these breakable sections, causing extra damage. That being said, the same can be done by you to other enemies! Performing special moves near these areas can instantly kill normal enemy zombies with a nice squish to the head! Also, in traditional random video game fashion, items may very well appear in the rubble of these different articles of furniture. (Because of course their would be a grenade hidden in the couch at Camp David! I thought all couches had those!)**

**The back section from the sealed metal entrance and living room is the kitchen, featuring an island and counter-tops to melee kill as was intended! Behind the double-doors is the kitchen, with plenty of stoves and things to go boom, as well as extra knives and such laid out to be used in emergencies of killing moves! Just remember that some people may have had the same idea just before they turned and could still be holding them! To the left of that is the freezer where you meet Pierre. If you don't like French chefs, then you will hate his large butcher knife zombie form... and you will LOATHE his mutated form! It is the boss of the first Chapter and the recurring big bad guy in Mercenaries, featuring a powered-up form if you can manage to beat all of the other enemies! Anyway, be sure to check all of the boxes and such for random items. Note that Pierre or Super Pierre cannot follow you up the stairs, but he can reach up and grab you with his intestines to pull you towards him, and that does not stop other enemies from appearing behind you! He also regenerates health quickly and has a instant-kill with no counter if you stay to close for too long! Don't get trapped in a corner or between a rock and a hard place in a hallway or stairwell! His weakpoints are his exposed intestines, extra mouth on his stomach, and the boil on his head. These also spew acid when shot however and can be damaging.**

**There are 3 Pierre's total in Mercenaries. The first is in the freezer where you find him in the story before he mutates. The second is actually in the security room blocking your access to the items whithin. You still need the two keycards to get in. The final is a Super-Pierre that can only be unlocked if you can beat all enemies in the time limit.**

**Back from the kitchen to the left of the entrance is a much longer dining table with random things and bodies laid upon it. Similar to the couches and chairs, some of these unfortunate guests will randomly revive as C-Hunters! These creatures are nearly blind in front, but will slowly begin to see you with their snake tongues, and literally have eyes in the back of their head via their cobra hoods! Unfortunately, you won't know which corpse will mutate until they do, and it can be rather infective to waste your time and ammo defeating them before they turn, but it is possible. Be careful not to run or move on noisy surfaces unless you have to!**

**Under the stairs is a hallway that leads to the glass sliding doors used to get to the pool and escape in story mode. Unfortunately, these are also sealed my large metal doors, but the glass is actually on the inside and can still make noise as well as be used for special kills! To the left is a theatre room what can only be moved into if a charging enemy happens to break through or if you destroy all of the stuff in your way with an explosive. To the right is a seemingly-normal downward stairway to the basement, filled with tables, more storage, and a completely-normal large metal door that had nothing to do with a future plot point whatsoever! This is also where the chicken with the golden egg drop will appear at the start just like in Resident Evil 5. This counts as an active enemy that must be killed! They are very elusive and sensitive to what is going on around them, so even though it starts downstairs, it could end up anywhere based on what is going on around or on the floor above it!**

**The stairs Leon, Ashley and the survivors run up at the start of the action makes an L-shape and arcs into a rectangular hallway. This hall has several rooms in the center and around it. Some are stuck from one side and even have holes blown in, linking them to other rooms! This is where you encounter the C-Hunters for the first time! The largest room is the control room above the entrance where you can start. It still requires two keycards to get into, but contains items and perks as well as the active security system to help narrow down where remaining enemies are on the monitors. One keycard drops when the first Pierre is killed (just like in the story.) The second is hidden randomly in one of the rooms on the second floor. Also, the section of floor linking the short way to the stairs is partially fallen through, and the rest can break at any moment, causing damage and more floor hazards that may alert enemies... as well as a floorboard or two begging to be used in combat on a zombie. You can always jump down rather than over afterwards though. Just be aware of how many enemies are below or around you. If there is only one, you can stun it by landing on top. Just don't end up getting swarmed where you jump.**

**Also remember that zombies can fall down and C-Hunters can always leap across the gap! Mind it!**

**Finally, if you go up another final set of stairs, you will come to a U-shaped hallway that leads to the decontamination chamber and safe room atop the security room below and main entrance lower still. This is where the classic item box and computer similar to the like of the old typewriters can be found. It is also the second possible starting point in Mercenaries.**

**Remember, zombies are always active and responding to sound. Running around corners is the easiest way to get damaged or killed. Don't be afraid to use Quickdraw to see enemies classic RE style, or even crouch and peak around corners to avoid C-Hunter spit or Pierre's reach (as fast) and shoot!**

**All mercenary maps have crystals that extend the remaining time by 30, 60, or 90 seconds. The 90 second crystal is in the theatre room trapped behind the rows of seats and TV. You can leap over the chairs, but the television must be destroyed to access it. The first 60 second crystal is in the basement at the intersection of the four tables. The second is hidden in the center rooms on the third floor. The remaining crystals are randomly placed in the remaining rooms on the second floor. Also, there are two combo crystals that extend combos that net you more points and time on the clock. This one requires you to stand in the hallway below the gap on the second floor and aim carefully above the chandelier.**

**This will also cause it to fall and crush anything or anyone below it, so use it wisely!**

**There are 70 normal zombies that start in or will eventually appear throughout the entire home. The 70 more aggressive Violet Heads will mutate either from fallen zombies or appear randomly. Seven C-Hunters will appear as you kill enough zombies. Finally, there are two Pierre's and one chicken hidden in their said special locations, and if you can defeat all 150 of these, a final Super-Pierre will appear.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys all enjoyed this different sort of take on the story based around the video game. I've found that doing these help me to picture what all should be in this fanfiction to make is seem as close to the game as possible. Obviously at the same time, I am trying to paint a picture of the setting, so I figure this helps to explain my vision better without having to break it down too obviously in the chapters while I am trying to work on things like character development and all that garbage! ;)**

**REMEMBER TO COMMENT YOUR QUESTIONS for me or Leon to be answered next time before we dive into Chapter 2!**


	20. 2-0: The Ultimatum

**Hey guys, yeah, I know it's been too long, so I'm not going to bore you with another filler episode about a fake interview with Leon (yet.) He'd be too busy with the Vendetta movie opening anyway, which actually uses a decent amount of similar things I plan to/ have used in my overview.**

**So, without any further ado, here is...**

**Chapter 2.0: The Ultimatum**

*bang*

The sound of an explosion deterred Leon from his final ultimatum. Lights began to flicker and before he knew it, panicked cries were echoing throughout the cabin. And something else to. Something beyond just fear.

*slash*

Leon could here blood being spilled, gushing out of a body outside. These were cried Leon heard all to often. A cry of death!

A shadow from sparks outside showed some normal human legs running past. Then... something else... tow stickily insect legs hobbling, with the shadow of a sickle ready to strike.

*BAM*

Leon burst through the door and splattered the large insect against the side of the door. As he helped he person up, he felt the plane shake. Everything was depressurized with fire everywhere. Worse yet, from the floor beneath could be seen holes of white webbing. One of them burst through to show a hideous fly creature Leon had shoved into the back of his deepest nightmares and darkest memories from his past. Only one thought shot through his mind.

"Ashley."

…

"Hello!? Ashley!?" Nothing. Only static.

Claire was in a formal office filled with disheveled and frantic political members of society. Calls rang out everywhere as finally someone demanded an update.

"We've just lost connection with Air Force One." a tan woman agent with glasses responded. "There was no way to get ahold of the plane beforehand. Some kind of jamming signal based around the plane's connections. We were only able to get through briefly trough a different modem, something off the official military communications system. A laptop. Claire was able to video chat briefly with Ms. Graham before everyone shook on the other end and went dark."

"Get me connected with that plane Agent Cunningham!" the voice replied. "That's an order!"

"Yes sir, Mr. President."

…

Blue fog seemed to fill the walkway as Leon pushed his way past people fleeing behind them, coughing and having bad reactions to the virus. Eventually, people stopped running and began moping, hunched over.

Finally, one dove for Leon and began chopping air madly. "Shit."

She was infected. With no choice, he fired off his pistol, the shot meant to end his own life, and put it directly between the undead's eyes.

No sooner had he got back up and shoved the body off him that another one was diving for him. Holding it upright as best he could, he soon realized the hard way that he only had put one shot in the chamber.

*click* *click click*

With no option left and only one life to save that mattered to him anymore, Leon's purple mutated arm burs through its' cast and slammed the zombie's head into the side of the wall!

With plenty more in his way straggling from the rest of the group of people that fled, he looked down at his hand and tensed up, before facing his opponents and shoving out at them as they leapt

…

The gun was shaking in her hand.

She was unable to move. Unable to fathom what she had just done, yet it seemed like ages ago Ashley had fought through the undead to her survival and rescue, only for her to now have put yet another round into a person's body that didn't deserve it. Too many innocents had to die from this virus... often at the hands of other innocents.

No sooner did the voice on the other end of her laptop mention Europe did everything start shaking and forcing her off her chair an onto the ground, breaking her laptop and connection to the outside world in the process.

Suddenly, blue gas started spewing from the airways, right onto an unfortunate survivor who happened to fall into it due to the explosion.

Ashley knew better than to go and check, but her body struggled to rush over! However, it was far too exhausted from the endeavor from earlier, and instead another poor fool came running to ask their final words.

"Are you alright?" They spoke.

"Raaaaaaaaawww!"

Ashley ached all over from her fall on her backside and was pinned to the side of the plane between her sear simply from the angle the plane was now heading force of gravity.

All she could do was watch as a human body tore out the throat and insides of another living human body.

It was a security agent... thank God it was not Leon... but little seemed to matter in that moment, even when their service weapon slid towards her. She couldn't even throw up from the turbulence and her aching muscles.

All she could do now was watch and wait... as the stewardess who awoke Leon earlier and cared for them after the crash when they boarded Air Force One rose without physical limit, nor detrimental, with the throat of a Secret Service Agent all over her face, as it hobbled slowly towards her.

…

Leon managed to duck and hold on at the same time as the plane began to take a nosedive, sending a group p airborne lunging zombies straight into the ceiling!

Suddenly, he heard other gunfire.

"The cavalry." He let out.

*Bang*

Leon ducked back down. Wow, that one was a bad shot!

*Bang*

That time it was almost like the user could no longer hold a gun straight but was still trying to go through the motions of shooting a target.

Leon looked up in anger for the saboteur.

Three walking corpses that were once his friends and allies in the service toward the president were now zombies, and they seemed to be aiming for him with their guns!

…

Ashley struggled to reach for her only hope, now having slid to the side more with the gun conveniently landing against her leg. However, the dead body was now next to the row of seats and was prepared to fall onto her and devour her flesh.

Everything seemed over as it bent over with it's knees to prepare to launch itself forward with uncanny physical strength...

…

*crack*

The gunfight with the fallen solders was about to force Leon to dive in and hope his mutated arm could withstand the bullets. Fortunately though, the side of the plane gave way and sent them all floating upward for a moment.

While the zombies were unfazed and continued to fire, it was now nearly impossible for them to get a good shot. Leon took this as his only chance and pushed off a seat towards them, his fist pulled back and ready to punch through whatever or whoever abomination he had to!

…

One thing Ashley learned was actually somewhat true in the movies compared to the real-life horror she experienced was that sometimes time itself really did seem to slow down the world around you.

Floating between herself and the undead woman was her gun. Now weightless like in a swimming pool, she could now lean forward and grab the gun...

...but so could the zombie!

Their hands wrestled around each other, leaving painful scratches on Ashley and breaking bones that the zombie didn't seem to need anymore.

Finally, time sped up again... just as Ashley had her hands on the trigger pointed at the undead... and the corpse had her hands around Ashley's and began diving forward!

*bang*

…

The last of the firing zombies had been dealt with, giving Leon all the ammo he needed. Yet it made no difference to him if he could survive.

The truth was, regardless of how soon he would force himself to die, everyone on that plane was more than likely about to die. And he couldn't do a thing about it!

Whether or not the pilots were out or not, no matter how many more zombies to people there were, there was no way to remedy this situation or save the day.

This wasn't like China. He couldn't guide the plane down if it was falling apart. It was over. They were done.

"Heh," Leon couldn't help but chuckle. This all made him wonder how Helena was doing of all things...

…

"C'mon people, status report." insisted the former Vice-president and officially as of tonight in his first term now the free-leader of the world.

"Give me something!"

"Sir!" A brunette with wavy hair marched over with confidence. "This is the list of all know members of the party not yet accounted for at the party."

"And?" he asked Agent Harper "Who is our man left on the inside?"

"Assuming he is still alive..." Helena began...

"He's still alive!" Claire yelled back almost angrily "We just had confirmation of it before the disconnection!"

"...the senior official of security is..." she gasped, not realizing until now ho it was but her old friend, colleague and savior to her good name "Agent Leon Kennedy! Sir."

"Get him on the line." he demanded "Hell, get me anyone who can tell what the blazes is going on!"

"What's going on!?" A man burst into the room. "Where!? How is she!?"

The room was nor deadly silent.

"Mr. Graham."

…

Ashley sulked forward in her spot, feeling almost like an undead herself.

Everything on the outer end of her vision was dark and blurry. She could no longer tell if the plane was shaking or it was just her, or even her imagination at this point!

All the blood felt like it was rushing to her head earlier. Now that she felt her damaged scalp with her freehand that wasn't in a death-grip around a pistol, she realized it was coming back down from her head outside her body.

Oh yeah, she looked at her hand in a daze. Her head was definitely bleeding.

How was she still alive!? Between the stress and the physical toll and the crashing and the gas and... the...

*click*

...zombies...

She looked over into the face of death.

A throat-less corpse in a suit was pointing a gun at her.

She wearily closed her eyes...

*BANG*

She felt herself fall to the ground.

She heard the sound of lead on flesh.

She could feel a cold embrace...

...from Leon!

Leon had just dove onto her when the shot went off!

As they helped each other to their feet and hugged, there were no longer any words to be said. Leon was shot in the back, Ashley was loosing blood and the plane was going to be grounded soon.

No help would come...

"Leon?" Ashley finally asked, ridiculously calm for the circumstances.

"Yeah Ash?" Replied a mellow Leon.

"Why haven't we turned from the gas?"

It was true! Everyone else had turned and they no longer had their gas masks from the panic room at Camp David! What could be helping them?

...what was happening to them?

These questions would have to wait.

".gen. , d. yo. ?"

Leon's earpiece was going of!

Hunnigan must have found a way through!

The two hobbled down the stairs together.

"Hunnigan! It's Leon. Are you O.K. What's the situation?"

"N. .n. m. o. . I n... y...r cu..nt c...rdn..ts."

Leon was just barely able to understand it enough to know what she must mean. He started rattling off numbers of last he checked combined with his training before...

*splat*

His earpiece had been shot into the wall by some kind of slimy webbing.

Leon and Ashley looked solemnly before them as several large combinations between moth, fly, and spiders were standing over mutilated bodies, guarding their one safe-haven left: the presidential office!

The two nodded at each other and slowly turned with all their strength to run in a charge towards their enemy!

Leon had flexed his hand out in front of him.

Ashley held a pistol in one hand from earlier an Leon's keepsake knife in the other.

…

The people at the other end struggled to interpret the numbers given to them by Agent Kennedy. Scattered signals could be picked up in sporadic locations around the Northeast of the globe. With just a little bit more time...

…

The last few moments of adrenaline were blurs in Ashley's mind. Darting around one insect, she saw Leon punch one straight in the face!

As she turned however, she found herself in the grip of another, ready to eat her from the inside out!

This pressure was soon relieved, as from behind she could see it splitting in two by the hands o Agent Kennedy. Yet... those eyes... that rage... he was becoming leas and leas her hero and more of a threat.

Leon carried her by her collar. As she turned, she saw the remaining zombies and the two Moth-men storming towards them.

Ashley was hurled into the presidential office an had her gun stripped from her. "Leon" barricaded the door, but soon saw the sickles of the bugs from before breaking through.

Firing what little ammo was left in the pistol and throwing it at them through the cracks, Leon dragged Ashley toward the back of the office where he entered in buttons rapidly on a keypad. The wall opened up into a small bunker... built for one...

As she was coming to a realization and beginning to cry, she felt another grip wrapping around her, in the form of a flak jacket.

Shoving her forward into it, Ashley turned around just barely in time to fit right in the pod as the area outside erupted in flames with monsters that looked from hell itself diving forward toward Leon and Ashley.

There was one last door to safety...

...and her beloved Leon was on the other side of it...

These were Leon's sweet soft final words to Ashley before he closed the doorway to their separate fates:

"Good Luck Ashley."

…

The signal on the computer flatlined.

All trace of Air Force One had been lost.

…

**Well, again, I know i was way overdue as always, but I really hope those of you who have found, refound, or have returned and stuck with me during this long gap in both the story and my life enjoyed the "conclusion" of the first part of my fanfiction.**

**Now the main character position shifts from Leon to Ashley... and another... stay tuned for more to find out who!**

...

*tic*

*tic*

*tic*

The sound of picks slamming into near-frozen rock echoed on the side of a mountain. Spiked shoes could also be heard gripping into it.

The climber himself was not quite dressed for such a thing, yet it looked like these were all the clothes in which he had... worn all at once for warmth.

Black long underwear, "long-johns" and blue jeans above the brown boots from before, complete with kneepads dawned his legs, complete with a belt and holsters for several different random things.

Beneath his green jacket an dark-blue long-sleeve shirt with an interesting white emblem on it was some sort of crimson trench-coat flowing out from above his neck like a cape. The gloves seemed to match.

Finally, a matching wide-brimmed pointed had rested above a young caucasian with one blue eye on his left, a black eye patch on his right, a red bandana around his face and scars covering every yet remaining bare (albeit seldom) shed of skin left on the surface.

His hair was barely visible from beneath the hat.

As he reached a stable nook to stand on, he saw his kill and prepared to tie it on his back, along with the shotgun of all things that killed it...

*vwrooooooooosh*

From out of the sky, the man went wide-eyes for a brief second as he turned and stood firm at an intense sight:

A large plane was falling apart and right from out of the sky in a massive fireball.

NEXT TIME ON RESIDENT EVIL: ILLUMINATION

Ashley slumped over the dead body of her fallen companion.

"I'll never give up, I promise!"


End file.
